Digital Farming Brings Bananas and Papayas to Russian Winters

For the first time, Russian consumers will be able to buy locally grown bananas and papayas this winter, thanks to greenhouse AI systems that make tropical harvests possible in Sochi.

What sounded like science fiction just a few years ago is becoming a reality. Exotic fruits are now being cultivated on an industrial scale in Sochi, with the first batches expected to hit the shelves during the New Year holidays.

The project is being led by the agricultural enterprise “100 Hectares.” Alongside advances in agrarian science, the company is relying heavily on digital technologies to secure consistent harvests. Bananas and papayas are grown in a 600-square-meter greenhouse, where an AI-powered system monitors the microclimate. Temperature and humidity are automatically maintained by a network of smart sensors and algorithms.

The push to develop tropical farming in Russia gained momentum after a government decision this July officially added bananas to the list of domestic agricultural products. That move positions exotic fruit production not as an experiment, but as a new segment of the Russian farming industry. To support this niche, officials also plan to expand local IT technologies tailored for agriculture.