Sundrop Farms

Sundrop Farms is an innovative Australian agritech company based in Port Augusta, South Australia, that has developed a world-first approach to sustainable food production using solar energy and desalinated seawater as its primary inputs. The company operates a large-scale commercial greenhouse facility that concentrates solar energy using a field of tracking mirrors to power a desalination plant, which then produces freshwater for irrigation in an area with virtually no reliable freshwater supply. This breakthrough technology enables Sundrop Farms to grow tomatoes and other crops profitably in the South Australian outback, completely off-grid and without drawing on scarce underground water resources. Sundrop Farms also uses solar-generated heat and electricity to power climate control systems, further reducing the facility’s reliance on fossil fuels and external inputs. Its operations have been commercially viable since 2016 and supply significant volumes of fresh tomatoes to major Australian supermarket chains including Coles. The company’s model demonstrates that sustainable intensive food production is achievable even in highly marginal environments, provided that appropriate renewable energy and water technologies are integrated into the farming system. Sundrop Farms has attracted significant international interest as a potential model for food production in other arid and water-stressed regions globally. The company continues to refine its technology and operational systems, positioning itself as a global leader in climate-resilient, renewable-energy-powered agriculture.