TradeSource LLCPioneering hydroponic farming business
About Us
TradeSource LLC
In this context, TradeSource LLC has a unique opportunity to serve as a trusted partner in advancing the hydroponics industry in Oman. Our diverse target market encompasses residential consumers looking to grow fresh produce at home, hobby gardeners excited to explore hydroponics, small-scale farmers eager to enhance their crop production, and educational institutions seeking to introduce hydroponic gardening programs.
Thorough market research has afforded us an understanding of our customers’ preferences, needs, and demographics, enabling us to tailor our offerings and services effectively. At TradeSource LLC, we aim to differentiate ourselves through a meticulously curated range of hydroponic equipment, supplies, and accessories. We take pride in offering products from esteemed brands, including AC Infinity for our grow tents. Our dedication to quality extends to our services, which encompass expert guidance on hydroponic techniques, crop selection, and ongoing support. In alignment with Omani laws and regulations, we are committed to conducting our business with transparency and strict adherence to local guidelines.
We have diligently secured all essential licenses and permits, ensuring that we operate as a lawful and compliant hydroponic retail business. Our business will operate from a strategically chosen location in Muscat, offering convenience and accessibility to our customers. Our dedicated staff, well-versed in hydroponic practices, will be readily available to assist customers, provide guidance, and ensure an exceptional shopping experience. As a responsible business, TradeSource LLC recognizes the significance of sustainability and environmental consciousness. We are steadfast in our commitment to adopting eco-friendly practices in our hydroponic systems, aligning with the values of environmentally conscious consumers. While we are enthusiastic about the potential of our hydroponic farming business in Muscat, Oman, we remain mindful of potential risks and challenges that may arise. To mitigate these risks, we have developed comprehensive contingency plans and will maintain an adaptable business approach.
Objectives
Customers
Restaurants and Cafes
TradeSource LLc can supply fresh, organically grown vegetables and fish to restaurants and cafes in Oman . Chefs and restaurant owners seeking premium ingredients for their menus are potential customers.
Local Markets and Retailers
Local markets, grocery stores, and retailers looking to offer fresh, sustainable produce can be valuable customers. They cater to consumers who prefer locally sourced, organic options.
Health-Conscious Consumers
Health-conscious individuals and families in Oman who prioritize fresh, nutritious, and environmentally friendly food options are a key demographic. TradeSource LLc can provide them with a reliable source of such produce.
Educational Institutions
Schools, universities, and educational institutions may be interested in TradeSource LLc 's educational programs and, potentially, sourcing fresh produce for their cafeterias or gardens.
Local Community Groups
Engaging with local community groups, environmental organizations, and gardening clubs can lead to partnerships and customers interested in sustainable farming practices.
Online Customers
Consider offering an online platform for ordering TradeSource LLc products, attracting tech-savvy consumers who prefer the convenience of online shopping.
Government and Sustainability Initiatives
Explore opportunities to collaborate with government initiatives promoting sustainable agriculture and food security in Oman
Our
Mission Statement
Keys to success
High-Quality Production:
Market Differentiation
Local Partnerships
Community Engagement
Efficient Operations
Adaptability
Management Team
Modern Techniques
Hydroponics overview
Hydroponic plants are easy to grow and maintain. In a hydroponic farm, not only their quantity and growth rate would increase but also their nutrition content and taste will be much more craving than the traditionally grown outs. The plants will be kept in trays and buckets and provided with a growth-promoting environment by supplementing them with the proper nutrient intake as told by specialists. Proper light, heat, drainage, and cutting of plants will be insured by dedicated staff.
The Vertical Advantage
Vertical farming and/or hydroponics can produce about 10 times the amount of produce per acre, per year, than a traditional soil farmer. This type of growing uses 70 to 90 percent less water than a field farmer as the water is recirculated and goes straight to CEO General Farm Manager Administrator/Accountant Cultivation Manager/Supervisor Sales and Marketing Executive the plants, resulting in minimal evaporation.
Reduced Pests and Diseases
Most pests and diseases are soil-borne, however, hydroponics is soilless; therefore, there are fewer pest and disease problems.
Multiple Crops per Year
Hydroponic growing allows crops that would traditionally be mono-crop to have multiple yields each season. This strategy also allows us to grow coveted “out of season” crops
NFT channel system
Nutrient Film Technique Channels, popularly known as NFT Channels are the best hydroponics system when it comes to vertical farming. Hydroponics NFT channels are prevalent and resourceful systems. It is similar to Ebb tide and Flow tide in that the system uses a pump to deliver fertilized water to the grow tray and drain pipe to recycle the unused nutrient solution.
In the NFT system, the nutrient solution is continuously streaming over the roots. These nutrient film technique channels a.k.a. NFT channels are made up of UVstabilized plastic and have a long life. Plant roots get nutrients from solution flow where the flow rate is fixed. To manipulate the plants on the NFT system without human intervention a robot was developed.
The robot was designed as a gantry with four v-grooved wheels running on two inverted-angle iron tracks (x-axis). On top of the gantry is a carriage that can move back and forth over the gantry (y-axis), this is perpendicular to the x-axis. On the carriage is a mechanism to move an arm up and down (z-axis), down being the negative direction.
At the end of the arm is a two-degree of freedom (DOF) gripper that can open, close, and rotate around the y-axis.
Different Hydroponic Methods
Deep Water Culture
This method is when plants are placed in buckets filled with water, nutrients, and an air pump, allowingfor a constant supply of oxygen
Ebb and Flow
Plants are placed in a tray that contains a water inlet and outlet. The tray is then flooded, submerging theroots with oxygen and nutrient-rich water for some time, and then the water drains out.
Drip System
In the drip system method, plants are placed in a growing medium, with exposed roots, and are supplied withwater from an external reservoir via drip pipes.
Nutrient Film Technique
For the nutrient film technique, plants are placed on an angled tube, allowing water to enter from one side of the tube and exit at the other. As with ebb-and-flow and drip systems, the oxygen and nutrientrich water come from a reservoir, and the roots of the plant are exposed to flowing water
Wick System
The wick system puts plants in a tray above a tank of water, and the roots of the plant are in between the tray and the water. The roots are partially submerged in the water tank, allowing the roots to transport water from the tank tothe rest of the plant.
Aquaponic and vegetables
Hydroponicis a form of integrated agriculture that combines two major techniques, aquaculture, and hydroponics. In one continuously recirculating unit, culture water exits the fish tank containing the metabolic wastes of fish. The water first passes through a mechanical filter that captures solid wastes and then passes through a biofilter that oxidizes ammonia to nitrate.
The water then travels through plant grow beds where plants uptake the nutrients, and finally the water returns, purified, to the fish tank. The biofilter provides a habitat for bacteria to convert fish waste into accessible nutrients for plants. These nutrients, which are dissolved in the water, are then absorbed by the plants. This process of nutrient removal cleans the water, preventing the water from becoming toxic with harmful forms of nitrogen (ammonia and nitrite), and allows the fish, plants, and bacteria to thrive symbiotically.
Thus, all the organisms work together to create a healthy growing environment for one another, provided that the system is properly balanced Although the production of fish and vegetables is the most visible output of aquaponic units, it is essential to understand that hydroponicis the management of a complete ecosystem that includes three major groups of organisms: fish, plants, and bacteria
In the NFT system, the nutrient solution is continuously streaming over the roots. These nutrient film technique channels a.k.a. NFT channels are made up of UVstabilized plastic and have a long life. Plant roots get nutrients from solution flow where the flow rate is fixed. To manipulate the plants on the NFT system without human intervention a robot was developed.
The robot was designed as a gantry with four v-grooved wheels running on two inverted-angle iron tracks (x-axis). On top of the gantry is a carriage that can move back and forth over the gantry (y-axis), this is perpendicular to the x-axis. On the carriage is a mechanism to move an arm up and down (z-axis), down being the negative direction.
At the end of the arm is a two-degree of freedom (DOF) gripper that can open, close, and rotate around the y-axis.
Water temperature
BALANCING THE AQUAPONIC ECOSYSTEM
