GOOD GREENS

Founder of Artisan Green, Ray Poh, shares his journey on growing sustainable, ultra-fresh and pesticide-free vegetables for the local community.

- NIDA SEAH

It was a bold move for Ray Poh when he left his job in Macau to set up hydroponics farm Artisan Green in 2018. It marked the start of a new career path for the former casino gaming company director – and a successful one at that.

Poh had been away from Singapore for 15 years and wanted to return home to be closer to his family. “With that in mind, I wanted to make a career switch and explore industries that were more forward-looking and sustainable,” he says.

The result was Artisan Green, a modern indoor farm that utilises hydroponics technology which allows plants to be grown indoors in controlled conditions without soil. The farm grows pesticide-free baby spinach, kale and more recently, herbs like lemon basil, dill and coriander. With a team of six including himself and help from a rotation of part-timers, the farm has seen a steady increase in sales with a current yield of 200kg of vegetables per week. We ask the 36-yearold about his move to agriculture, the technology behind his greens, and the farm’s vision and support in boosting Singapore’s nutritional needs.

How did you learn about hydroponics?

Why did you choose this method? Before we started building the farm, I knew I had to obtain hands-on experience in growing and so I sought out courses that could give me a basic foundation of agriculture. I went through a greenhouse course in Australia, an introductory course to hydroponics in Singapore and an agriculture exhibition in Japan. I bought several books on hydroponics and signed up for courses online to learn more about this field.