"Why Are Mushrooms Growing There?" Smart Container Farm Emerges in the City Center

Opening Ceremony of Dongmyeong University 14 AI Convergence Smart Farm Technology Research Center
Attendance by National Assembly Member Park Su-young and Nam-gu District Mayor Park Jae-beom
‘AI Mushroom’ Marketed as Urban Agriculture Facility on Ca

Mushroom harvesting is in full swing at the smart farm inside Dongmyung University campus.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] A ‘smart urban agriculture facility’ that produces and markets mushrooms using AI technology opened on the 14th at the Dongmyung University campus and began full-scale production.

On the 14th, Dongmyung University held an opening ceremony for the AI Convergence Smart Farm Technology Research Institute on campus, attended by about 150 people including National Assembly member Park Soo-young, Nam-gu District Mayor Park Jae-beom, Busan Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration Director Kim Moon-hwan, and Busan Technopark Director Choi Jong-yeol.

The event was hosted by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea and organized by Dongmyung University’s Community Collaboration Center.

On this day, a smart farm that automatically controls cultivation environments such as ▲temperature, humidity, and illumination ▲carbon dioxide emission and fresh air inflow ▲humidification and dehumidification, and remotely adjusts the growth environment via smartphones, appeared.

The farm is an evolved form of a standard 40-foot container. It features a neat and unique urban agriculture facility covering 320㎡ (97 pyeong), consisting of five buildings and one mushroom storage warehouse.

The first harvest of the mushroom ‘Dongmyung Amigo,’ which was test-cultivated for about a month, was also achieved. Dongmyung Amigo is a low-temperature shiitake mushroom that combines the advantages of shiitake and matsutake mushrooms. It is characterized by a deep aroma and chewy texture. The brand name Amigo carries meanings such as mother’s mushroom, ‘雅味?’ (highest taste mushroom), and AMIGO (a friend for returning to farming).

Smart farm production facility created using five containers.

The production per cycle per container is about 250 to 350 kg. Packaging will be in 1 kg icebox containers with added ice packs; individual buyers will receive shipments via courier, and home shopping orders will be transported by refrigerated trucks.

After loading the ‘substrate,’ which replaces the role of oak wood that holds nutrients and spawn, mushroom sprouts begin to appear within about 7 to 10 days, and full-scale harvesting starts after 21 to 28 days.

The substrate can be used for about three cycles. Typically, one cycle is considered about one month, with harvesting occurring from about day 10 to 14, followed by a resting period of about 7 days.

Dongmyung University has implemented an optimal environment for automatic growth of this low-temperature mushroom regardless of location or time. For cultivation technology research, it has been working closely with companies such as KCTS Co., Ltd. (CEO Cha Ji-wook) in the distribution complex of Gangseo-gu, Busan.

A data-driven control smart farm has been established that shortens the growth period, rapidly discharges carbon dioxide, and quickly introduces fresh air to regulate airflow.

Shin Dong-seok, head of Dongmyung University’s LINC+ Project Group, stated, “We are planning to start marketing through NS Home Shopping and Shinsegae Department Store from September in collaboration with KCTS Co., Ltd., Dongmyung Amigo Cooperative, and Chungbuk Anter Village Enterprise.”

To pioneer sales channels, since June, a regional smart farm-linked social economy RCC distribution support group has been operating together with Busan Technopark, Ulsan Technopark, and Busan Gyeongsang National University officials.

Park Soo-young, head of Dongmyung University’s Community Collaboration Center, said, “We plan to additionally build research and development offices and an education experience center on the upper floor of this cultivation building around October,” adding, “Urban agriculture conducted on campus has become a reality reaching commercialization.”

Jung Hong-seop, president of Dongmyung University, said, “The new-concept mushroom born from the meeting of agriculture, IT, and AI, such as automatic temperature and humidity control, is the fruit of ‘AI convergence innovation.’ It will also lead to job creation and become a noteworthy item in the prolonged COVID-19 era and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”