Johor: Johor has launched the country’s largest high-tech vertical farming facility, spanning over 50,000 square feet, to cultivate leafy vegetables using advanced agrotechnology. Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced the RM40 million project as a strategic joint venture between FarmByte Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Johor Corporation (JCorp), and Singapore-based agri-tech company Archisen Pte Ltd. The facility, which grows produce such as ice plant salad, is located in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Construction began in 2023, and the farm is now fully operational at Nusajaya Industrial Park.
Johor: Johor has launched the country’s largest high-tech vertical farming facility, spanning over 50,000 square feet, to cultivate leafy vegetables using advanced agrotechnology. Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced the RM40 million project as a strategic joint venture between FarmByte Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Johor Corporation (JCorp), and Singapore-based agri-tech company Archisen Pte Ltd. The facility, which grows produce such as ice plant salad, is located in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Construction began in 2023, and the farm is now fully operational at Nusajaya Industrial Park.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Onn Hafiz described the project as a historic milestone for Johor, Malaysia, and Singapore. He emphasized that this initiative is not just an agricultural project but a new ecosystem that strengthens regional food security. The launch ceremony also saw the presence of Archisen director Vincent Wei, JCorp chairman Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, and State Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Lee Ting Han.
Onn Hafiz mentioned that the project has garnered interest from various agricultural industry players from both Malaysia and Singapore, who are exploring future collaborations. FarmByte and Archisen are in discussions with several other companies to expand operations and build a robust regional ecosystem for vertical farming. The aim is to scale up operations and establish a comprehensive farming network with strong support from all stakeholders.
Developed under a 2024 partnership agreement, the facility integrates large-scale infrastructure with smart farming systems to support year-round production of high-quality leafy greens. Utilising controlled environment agriculture (CEA) technology, the farm operates independently of weather conditions and without pesticides. With a projected annual yield of 306,000 kilogrammes, the farm is expected to significantly contribute to Malaysia’s National Food Security Policy Action Plan, while also supporting Singapore’s ’30 by 30′ initiative – a goal to produce 30 per cent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030.