It’s a first for West Grey and North America.
A Korean Agricultural company — EnCoTech Limited — will construct a number of greenhouses to commercially grow ginseng for the domestic and international market place.
West Grey Mayor Kevin Eccles says the hydroponically grown ginseng project, when fully operational will create about 200 permanent full time jobs in the municipality.
The greenhouse operation will be constructed on land across the road from the West Grey Municipal Office.
Eccles says ginseng is in high demand and distributed as a commercial crop worldwide and while the root is the main cash crop, the leaves are ready to eat and have a strong market appeal.
He says the company expects to begin construction on the nursery green houses this fall and its hoped they will be able to harvest their first crop late next year or early in 2012.
Eccles says this whole initiative came about because of his contacts with the Korean community in Canada and his frequent visits to Korea to talk to company officials.
He says hydroponically grown ginseng has never been done in North America before and this will certainly put West Grey on the map as far as agricultural technology is concerned.
