Global LED Farming Market - 2022-2029

Market Overview

Growing crops under artificial light is a revolutionary scientific farm practice. Initially, vertical farms used fluorescent lights to support crop growth. However, with the development of LED light technology, fluorescent lights are slowly being replaced by new, energy-efficient bulbs. LED farming technology helps to extend the hours of natural daylight, which further aids in improving plant health, growth rate, and output. LED and plasma illumination can extend the life of crops throughout a particular season. The agricultural industry also benefits from this technology because it reduces energy consumption and CO² emissions. LEDs produce more light per watt than other types of lighting so that farmers can save money on their electricity bills. LEDs also have a longer life span than other types of lighting, which is important for farming applications because they are exposed to harsh conditions and often break down more quickly due to dust and heat.

Moreover, the growing population on the globe boosts the demand for food. Growing investments, various crops being cultivated, increasing urbanization, and higher awareness about the health benefits of eating fresh produce are some drivers of growth.

The global LED farming market was valued at USD YY million in 2021. It is forecasted to reach USD YY million by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 11.12% during the forecast period (2022-2029).

Market Dynamics: Growing LED farming market with increasing urban cultivation and adoption of environment-friendly production

Increasing urban cultivation and vertical farming, as well as the rising adoption of environment-friendly production of fruits and vegetables, are expected to boost product demand in the coming years. The unprecedented growth of the global population has further increased the demand for urban agriculture, which augments market growth. Rising awareness regarding the importance of alternative farming due to less availability of fertile agricultural land and rising population offers immense opportunities to the industry players. In the agricultural industry, LED farming is the modern technology for farming as it has low-cost installation and solutions for customers. Currently, agricultural lightening has increased for the applications like supplemental lightening, urban farming, and cultivation without daylight. These lights provide the proper light required by the crop with the required safety. The growing awareness about sustainability is accelerating market growth. For instance, on 15 October 2020, GoodLeaf Community Farms in Canada selected Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, to equip its new state-of-the-art farm with Philips Horticulture LED lighting and increase its food production, enhance flavor and improve nutritional value. As a branded producer, GoodLeaf grows and packs fresh, nutritious, and pesticide-free micro and baby greens year-round. The company operates a 4,000-square-metre indoor vertical farm in Guelph, Ontario, which is now fully operational to supply some of the largest Canadian retail chains. McCain Foods back GoodLeaf as its strategic investor.

However, the high setup and installation cost of LED lights are impacting the LED farming market's growth and the various crops' complex requirements of the varied light spectra. There are complexities related to deploying the controlled environment agricultural technology in large-scale cultivation.

Market Segmentation: The vertical farming segment had the most increased demand in the LED farming market

Vertical farming is the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers. It allows farmers to grow fresh produce indoors year-round and could be part of the solution to growing crops with limited land and water availability. Globally, vertical farms have gained popularity for their ability to produce higher yields by controlling light, temperature, and nutrients, while minimizing disease, infestation, and pollution. The demand for vertical farming has expanded as the world's population has grown phenomenally. The onset of vertical farming has embarked on a revolutionary trend for light-emitting diode (LED) technology.

A rapid transition has been witnessed in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) from only high-value crops such as cannabis to a wide-ranging variety such as microgreens and vegetables owing to the affordable and efficient LED lights thrusting the agricultural technology market. For instance, on 19 July 2022, Crop One, Emirate, opened Dubai's 'world's largest vertical farm.' The over 330,000-square-foot facility is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, near Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central. It can produce over 2 million pounds of leafy greens annually. ECO 1 will address growing supply chain challenges and food security issues while introducing millions of new consumers to the benefits of vertically farmed produce. It's their mission to cultivate a sustainable future to meet global demand for fresh, local food, and this new farm is the manifestation of that commitment. This new facility serves as a model for what's possible around the globe.

Geographical Penetration: North America the dominating region during the forecast period

North America accounted for the largest global LED farming market share in 2021. The United States contributed the largest portion of the total revenue generated in the region, which has surfaced with farmland scarcity and the subsequent need for higher productivity of crops. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Agricultural Research Service has undertaken a project to increase tomato production in the US and the quality of production in other protected environments using LED lights.

Moreover, a "fresh-from-farm-to-table" consumption preference has encouraged several Canadian players, such as Modular Farms, Goodleaf Farms, Nova Scotia's TruLeaf, and Ecobain Gardens, to turn to urban agriculture to answer food shocks in the country from time to time. For instance, on 16 October 2020, Fluence by Osram (Fluence), a leading global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis and agriculture production, expanded its top light solutions today. It launched the VYPR 3x and VYPR DUO 3x2. The latest VYPR series additions feature Fluence's diversified PhysioSpec™ spectra and market-leading efficacies up to 3.7 µmol/J. By offering products with a smaller form factor that deliver high light output, growers who previously could not install supplemental lighting - due to restrictions in facility dimensions - now have a solution to leverage year-round crop production.

For instance, on December 6, 2022, Two leading controlled environment agriculture (CEA) services companies announced a partnership. Agritecture offers CEA planning, research, and strategy services, and Greener Crop offers data-driven hydroponic farm management solutions. Those are teaming up to make it easier to launch and operate greenhouses in the United States and the six countries that comprise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). With this partnership, Agritecture is moving beyond its core competency of planning farms to be able to help its clients operate farms through Greener Crop's Farming-as-a-Service solutions.

Competitive Landscape:

The market is highly competitive, with a few internationally established players and several regional players vying for a higher market share in the emerging market for LED lights in farming. The key players in the market include Koninklijke Philips N.V., Gavita International B.V., General Electric Company, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH, Heliospectra AB, Hortilux Schreder B.V., and Illumitex, among others. Mergers and acquisitions, innovation, diversification of product portfolios, and investments are some of the most adopted strategies of these players for penetrating the evolving market with an all-encompassing research & development approach. For instance, Heliospectra launched the new modular LED lighting series, MITRA, in May 2019, which provides the high-intensity light output and electrical efficacy of up to 2.7 µmol/J for commercial greenhouses and indoor, and vertical farms. On 22 July 2021, leading UK AgTech company, Light Science Technologies, launched a sustainable nurturGROW LED lighting range. Its new sustainable grow lighting product range offers an innovative, high-performance, cost-effective solution for indoor farming, covering greenhouses, vertical farming, polytunnels and medicinal plants.

COVID-19 Impact: Positive impact on the global LED farming market

The coronavirus pandemic has become a major worry for farmers globally, inhibiting agricultural laborers' access and causing issues with international supply chains, which has heightened interest in vertical farming. The travel restrictions implemented by most countries create labor shortages, with migrant seasonal workers being the worst hit. While agritech investors have been pouring millions of dollars into vertical farm start-ups in the US and Europe for some time, the pandemic is also expected to accelerate this trend and inspire interest on a more global scale. Throughout the pandemic, investment in vertical farming has remained high. On 12 August 2020, Bayer's investment arm, Leaps by Bayer and Singapore-based investment firm Temasek invested $30m in Unfold, a new company focused on vertical farming.

The global LED farming market report would provide access to approximately 61 market data tables, 54 figures and 170 pages