PEST analysis of the future Chinese vertical farming market: Environmental sustainability and energy savings

Shuang Ning; George Xydis; Shuang Ning; George Xydis

doi:10.3934/agrfood.2023026

AIMS Agriculture and Food

2023, Volume 8, Issue 2: 496-512. doi: 10.3934/agrfood.2023026

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PEST analysis of the future Chinese vertical farming market: Environmental sustainability and energy savings

Shuang Ning ,
George Xydis ^,

Department of Business Development and Technology, Aarhus University, Birk Centerpark 15, 7400 Herning, Denmark

Received: 29 November 2022 Revised: 01 March 2023 Accepted: 14 March 2023 Published: 11 April 2023

To provide people with an insight into market development in the Chinese vertical farming (VF) industry, this work has conducted a PEST analysis to identify the external market environment from political, economic, social and technological perspectives. VF is developing at a rapid speed with great market potential and opportunities. Environmental pollution and consumersx increased awareness of a healthy lifestyle drive Chinese people to seek "safety, healthier and clean" food more than anyone else in the world. The increasing gross domestic product enables more and more people to afford VF-produced products. The great market opportunities have attracted many domestic and international investors to join the market. Until 2020, there were more than 200 plant factories operating in China, and the number is increasing. Nevertheless, the development of vertical farms is in the initial stage in China, which can be summarized as follows: 1) the high investment and operational costs are the main barriers to profitability; 2) technology development still lags behind other VF-advanced countries, such as in the development of intelligent crop management equipment; 3) insufficient government support, as promoting a vertical farm market requires more efficient political and financial support from the Chinese government; and 4) consumer public awareness of VF is too low.
- vertical farming,
- consumer acceptance,
- plant factories,
- macro-environmental analysis,
- urban
Citation: Shuang Ning, George Xydis. PEST analysis of the future Chinese vertical farming market: Environmental sustainability and energy savings[J]. AIMS Agriculture and Food, 2023, 8(2): 496-512. doi: 10.3934/agrfood.2023026

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Abstract

To provide people with an insight into market development in the Chinese vertical farming (VF) industry, this work has conducted a PEST analysis to identify the external market environment from political, economic, social and technological perspectives. VF is developing at a rapid speed with great market potential and opportunities. Environmental pollution and consumersx increased awareness of a healthy lifestyle drive Chinese people to seek "safety, healthier and clean" food more than anyone else in the world. The increasing gross domestic product enables more and more people to afford VF-produced products. The great market opportunities have attracted many domestic and international investors to join the market. Until 2020, there were more than 200 plant factories operating in China, and the number is increasing. Nevertheless, the development of vertical farms is in the initial stage in China, which can be summarized as follows: 1) the high investment and operational costs are the main barriers to profitability; 2) technology development still lags behind other VF-advanced countries, such as in the development of intelligent crop management equipment; 3) insufficient government support, as promoting a vertical farm market requires more efficient political and financial support from the Chinese government; and 4) consumer public awareness of VF is too low.

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