One Year of Farm Me by Green Innovate

This past September 19th marked the one-year anniversary of Farm Me by Green Innovate's acquisition of a vegetable farm in Khlong Muang Subdistrict, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The company immediately went full-throttle, dedicating itself to the meticulous cultivation of chemical-free hydroponic vegetables.

Over the course of one full year, Farm Me has devoted all its resources to rescuing the farm from a state of crisis and loss, impressively turning it profitable. In its first year, the farm generated an outstanding revenue of over 60 million baht!

"When we first arrived, we had 71 employees. After one year, we now have 105 staff members and 6 supervisors, totaling 111 people. We have worked incredibly hard, facing everything from diseases to insects. Leaf spot was a major issue; some days, it would spread through an entire greenhouse, causing panic across the farm. We've also dealt with worms and, on rare occasions, even geckos," said Dr. Kankhahath Piyakarn, the Managing Director of Farm Me by Green Innovate, speaking to the assembled staff during the merit-making ceremony celebrating the first anniversary.

Thanks to relentless dedication from the very beginning, the company achieved total sales of 60 million baht. This initial success served as a vital morale booster for every individual who played a part in this achievement.

This is just the first step, built on the foundation of a strong team. That team has been made even stronger with the addition of one of Thailand's foremost agricultural experts, Dr. Surachat Wutthiphanit, a specialist in farm management from the Highland Research and Development Institute, who has joined as a special advisor to Farm Me.

In the agricultural industry, Dr. Surachat Wutthiphanit is recognized as a true authority. He earned his bachelor's degree in agriculture from Maejo University before pursuing his master's and doctoral degrees in pre- and post-harvest science in Australia. His experience includes working at Rugby Farm, a massive 30,000-rai (approx. 12,000 acres) farm, and serving as the Head of Research at Mulgowie Farming, Australia's largest producer of sweet corn and green beans, for over 15 years. He later transitioned to become a volunteer advisor for Thailand's Royal Project and an expert at the Highland Research and Development Institute in Chiang Mai, with a personal mission to strengthen and grow Thailand's agricultural projects.

As Farm Me enters its second year, the Khaoyai Connect team had the opportunity to interview Dr. Surachat about the future direction of this major chemical-free hydroponic farm in Pak Chong, its challenges, and its goal of rising to become a leader in the vegetable industry.

A Look Back 50 Years: The Dawn of Hydroponics in Thailand

Hydroponics was introduced to Thailand about 50 years ago. At that time, salad greens were not widely known to the general public. Only five-star hotels and restaurants served them to their guests, relying on imported produce. As their popularity grew, companies began importing foreign technology to produce hydroponic vegetables locally as a substitute for imports.

Generally, there are two main cultivation systems:

1. NFT (Nutrient Film Technique): This method uses plastic gullies where a thin film of nutrient-rich water flows. As the plant roots are submerged in the water, they receive both oxygen and nutrients.
2. Substrate-based Hydroponics: This method involves using a growing medium instead of soil, such as coconut coir, coconut husks, sand, gravel, pumice, perlite, or vermiculite. This is because soil can be a source of microorganisms that may cause root or stem rot.

"Hydroponic farming is know-how that originated abroad, starting in America. We brought it in and have since developed it," Dr. Surachat explains. "Thirty years ago, I had the opportunity to work at a hydroponic farm in Bangkok; it was the first company to receive privileges from the BOI (Board of Investment). We designed greenhouses and cultivation systems suited to Thailand's hot climate. Today, we have the EVAP (Evaporative Cooling) greenhouse system. It works by using fans to pull air through cooling pads, which removes heat and cools the greenhouse. It's another form of a modern greenhouse."

R&D: The Heart of Hydroponic Development

The know-how of hydroponic cultivation is never stagnant. It requires constant Research and Development (R&D) to keep up with modern times, meet ever-changing consumer demands, and, most importantly, ensure sustainability.

"Consumer trends are focused on hygiene, convenience, flavor, and color," Dr. Surachat notes. "We must produce vegetables that meet these demands, which is why we emphasize R&D to develop new plant varieties. We primarily grow salad greens and vegetables from the cabbage family, but now we are also focusing on fruit-bearing vegetables like tomatoes and mini cucumbers. R&D is about finding new varieties that offer better yields, are more prolific, disease-resistant, easy to maintain, have beautiful colors, and a longer post-harvest shelf life."

"Right now, we're working on turning vegetables into ready-to-eat snacks, or 'veggie snacks.' For example, cherry tomatoes, mini cucumbers, and small sweet peppers that can be eaten in one bite. We want to encourage schoolchildren who don't like vegetables to try them by using vibrant colors to attract them. For instance, there are now chocolate-colored tomatoes. The flavor must be sweet and mild, with a skin that doesn't stick to your teeth. This also includes edible flowers, which are not yet widely used by Thais. We Thais have neem blossoms, which we boil and serve with chili dip, right? Westerners, on the other hand, use colorful flower petals as a garnish to make food more appealing."

"For health food trends like kale, we have two cultivation systems: organic and GAP (Good Agricultural Practices). GAP is a global standard for safe agriculture. We undergo an audit every year, which ensures that we produce vegetables that meet high-quality standards and are safe, with no chemical residues."

Beyond its focus on R&D, Farm Me's next step is to move forward with redesigning its greenhouses to better suit Thailand's climate.

Vegetable farming must proceed in phases. The first year focused on boosting production, addressing inefficiencies through research and development, applying new technology, and using existing knowledge to train and upskill employees. In the next phase, once capital and expertise are secured, the focus will shift to upgrading the greenhouses.

"The climate has been changing drastically, with more intense heat, heavier rain, and hailstorms. Using greenhouses designed for colder countries may not be suitable for a tropical nation like ours," Dr. Surachat explains. "We will redesign the greenhouses in two phases. In the first phase, the old structures will be improved to allow for the comfortable cultivation of vegetables year-round. The next phase will involve building a new prototype greenhouse that is cooler, more spacious, and has better ventilation. It will be designed to accommodate machinery, be ergonomic for older workers—no more bending down or working on the ground—and be more friendly to both the environment and the people working in it."

The Three Keys to Success

Success is no accident. It is the result of meticulous planning and relentless dedication that turned a loss-making situation into a profitable one in just one year, guided by three core principles: 1. Quality, 2. Consistency, and 3. Price.

"The Thai vegetable market has two main problems," Dr. Surachat points out. "First is safety and consumer confidence; Thais are wary of chemical residues. Second, produce prices are unstable, fluctuating with the seasons."

It is clear that Farm Me's first-year success came from its ability to solve all of these problems.

"We did very well in our first year. On the safety front, we succeeded because our hydroponic systems are mostly in controlled greenhouse environments, which reduces pest problems. We use safe, biological products to prevent diseases and insects. We also randomly test our produce in our own lab. By guaranteeing safety and offering chemical-free vegetables, we can tap into a massive market."

"As for pricing, while we can't set a single fixed price, we have two clear, distinct prices for the different seasons and we use forward-selling contracts. By solving these core problems, we've secured a constant stream of orders, because the demand for high-quality vegetables is still immense."

Building Consumer Confidence in Safe Vegetables

A major problem for Thai farmers is that Thailand is a tropical, humid country, which means the life cycle of insects and diseases is extremely fast—only about 15-20 days. Consequently, a single plant can host multiple generations of pests simultaneously, from eggs and larvae to adults. This makes chemical spraying often ineffective, as some chemicals may only kill eggs, while others only affect larvae but not mature insects.

Therefore, the correct approach is to implement the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This starts with cultural control methods, which involve managing the environment to make it inhospitable for pests. Examples include proper land preparation and using ground covers to prevent plants from coming into contact with soil-borne diseases and insects. It also involves using biological products, such as beneficial microorganisms, to eliminate fungal and bacterial diseases without harming humans. These practices are still not widely used by farmers, perhaps because they seem complicated. IPM is about preventing problems before they occur. Only when a problem arises should pesticides be considered. However, many Thai farmers do the opposite: they spray pesticides first and think about prevention later, by which time it's already too late.

Answering the Question of Chemical Residues in Hydroponics

Dr. Surachat states that Thais are still confused and have misconceptions about chemical residues. They tend to think that "chemical residue" and "pesticides" are the same thing, which leads to misunderstanding. "We need to be specific," he clarifies. "Are we talking about chemicals used to prevent pests and diseases, or chemicals from fertilizers? Because fertilizers are chemicals. In hydroponics, we don't plant in soil; we use grow trays with water and add fertilizers, which consist of 12 essential nutrients. Similarly, outdoor-grown vegetables also need fertilizer, just in a different form. The fertilizer used in hydroponics is of higher purity because it needs to dissolve well in water. It's like one person eating sticky rice and another eating jasmine rice. The end result for the body is carbohydrates, starch, and sugar, which are digested into glucose. The destination is the same, but the starting point is different."

"If we look specifically at hydroponic systems, which are mostly controlled environments inside greenhouses, the pest problem is significantly lower, and thus less pesticide is used compared to open-field cultivation. This is the advantage of hydroponics. However, some agencies have criticized it for using 'chemicals,' which is a misunderstanding. The 'chemicals' in question are fertilizers, the same kind used for other vegetables, just applied in a different system."

So why are Thais still concerned about residue issues?

Dr. Surachat explains, "I understand the conversation has shifted to nitrates, which are a form of nitrogen that plants use for growth. Some academics who are against hydroponics claim that the fertilizers used can lead to nitrate accumulation and residues in the plants. However, we must understand that in a hot climate like Thailand's, nitrate accumulation in plants is relatively low. This issue is primarily a concern in colder, low-sunlight countries in Europe, like Scandinavia, where they might only get 5-6 hours of daylight. In those conditions, photosynthesis is incomplete, causing plants to accumulate high levels of nitrates. When consumed in large amounts, these nitrates can convert to nitrites in the body. Nitrites in the bloodstream can interfere with oxygen transport, leading to symptoms of poisoning like anemia or 'blue blood,' which is harmful to our health."

"Everything in the world has both benefits and harms. For example, raw taro is poisonous; it makes your throat itch if you eat it. But if you cook it, the toxin disappears. Similarly, hydroponic vegetables do contain some nitrates because photosynthesis requires nitrogen, which comes in two forms: ammonia and nitrate. These are essential for the photosynthetic process and plant growth. Any vegetable, whether grown in soil or not, has the potential to accumulate nitrates from fertilizers, the cultivation method, the soil itself, or even the water. There are many factors involved, and we need to understand this first."

"Nitrates must be present in vegetables, but we don't want the levels to be high enough to be toxic. If the levels are too low, the plant won't grow; it won't be lush and green. Instead of getting green vegetables, you'd be eating yellow ones due to nitrogen deficiency. So, educating consumers to prevent unnecessary panic is something we must do."

"And did you know, to actually be poisoned by nitrates, you would have to eat kilograms of salad every single day? That's the level of consumption required to be affected. In reality, we eat a little bit of everything in a mixed, balanced diet. We don't eat a kilogram of salad or rocket every single day. We need to think critically and not be easily alarmed. Don't be so quick to believe everything, because social media spreads information incredibly fast these days, and sometimes attacks are motivated by conflicts of interest."

"And if we're talking about toxicity, sugar, pepper, and salt are all toxic in their own way. They are the causes of many diseases Thais suffer from due to overconsumption. I want people to understand that everything in the world has both good and bad aspects. With proper understanding, we can consume things correctly and maintain a balance in our bodies," Dr. Surachat illustrates.

Ultimately, the quality and safety standards of Farm Me's vegetables have allowed them to gain rapid market acceptance, particularly regarding their chemical-free quality. This is partly because they control nitrate levels by using low-nitrate fertilizer formulas and regularly analyze vegetable samples for nitrate values in their lab—a crucial step in building consumer trust in this day and age.

Looking Ahead: Partnering to Increase Production Volume

As greenhouse-based hydroponic cultivation involves high costs—from laying concrete floors to electricity and labor—Farm Me's next step is to find partners who can practice lower-cost outdoor cultivation under a Contract Farming agreement. Farm Me's staff will provide knowledge, support with plant varieties, and assist in production planning. This group of partners will focus on growing lower-priced vegetables, which Farm Me will then purchase from them under strict quality conditions. Meanwhile, Farm Me itself will transform into a central hub, shifting its focus to cultivating high-value vegetables and advancing its research and development to stay ahead of modern trends and consumer needs.

"Soon, you will see our vegetables served on airplanes, in restaurants, and in 5-star hotels," Dr. Surachat reveals, hinting at their high-end target market. This reinforces their standard for high-quality, chemical-free produce, which lies at the very heart of Farm Me's mission: to provide good things for the health and well-being of all Thai people.

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