Pollination doesn't have to be the limiting factor in vertical farming. CalliFarma offers an innovative and proven solution using Lucilia sericata flies — enabling profitable production of fruiting crops like strawberries, tomatoes, and cucumbers in stacked environments.
Bees require hives, maintenance, and open space. Manual pollination is labor-intensive and non-scalable. These constraints prevent most vertical farms from moving beyond leafy greens — leaving the high-revenue potential of fruit-bearing crops untapped.
Lucilia sericata changes that.
Flies emerge directly in your greenhouse from ventilated boxes of pupae. No setup, no rearing — just unpack, wait, and pollinate. Emergence timing is adjustable with ambient temperature.
Includes fly cage, larval food, pupation medium, and collection tools. Requires only 1 hour/day by existing personnel. Cost-effective for larger farms or continuous flowering crops. One-time setup: ~$500.
| Scenario | Greens | Strawberries (Bees) | Strawberries (Lucilia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue per m² | $100 | $300 | $300 |
| Pollination Cost | $0 | $15/m² | $0.50–$2/m² |
| Breakeven Period | – | 12–18 mo | 2–9 mo |
Lucilia-based pollination enables farms to expand into profitable fruiting crops without needing a dedicated apiary or specialized workforce.