A Hydroponic Farm is a raw resource building in Tropico 5. They are essentially upgraded compact plantations, being much more effective and requiring much less space to grow all types of agricultural resources. The effectiveness can be increased through upgrades, at the cost of the farm requiring an electricity supply.
Hydroponic farms require high school educated workers, unlike plantations. If a drought occurs, it costs double ($200) to have water supplied, unlike plantations, which cost $100 to have them irrigated (having a helicopter spray the field with water).
Requirements: Electricity for "Capillary sub-irrigation" upgrade.
Building Type: Raw Resources
Recommended Manager - Union Leader, Supervisor, Mentor
Era Unlocked - Modern Times.
Research Required - Waterworks.
Hydroponics vs plantation[]
Advantages of hydroponics[]
- More production output.
- Improved job happiness.
- Less space used. Practically you can build 4 at same space used for Plantation.
Disadvantages of hydroponics[]
- Requirements
- Requires high school educated workers.
- Requires Electricity for "Capillary sub-irrigation" upgrade.
- Budget
- Doubles ($200) upkeep cost during droughts.
- Effectiveness
- "Organic" Campaign edict disables production.
- Environmentalists hate them.
- Agriculture Vehicles upgrade unusable.
Upgrades[]
Crop | Upgrade | Cost | Description |
---|---|---|---|
All | Capillary sub-irrigation | $4,000 | Effectiveness is increased by 20 but the farm begins to consume 50 MW of electricity. |
Bananas | Small-Parcel Growth | $4,000 | Job Quality is increased by 20. Workers wealth is increased. |
Cocoa | Inoculation | $12,000 | Effectiveness is increased by 100 |
Coffee | Bean Processing | $4,000 | Effectiveness increased by 20. |
Corn | Selective Breeding | $2,000 | Effectiveness increased each month after this upgrade is build (max 100) |
Cotton | Mechanization | $3,000 | Decreases workers by 2 and increases Effectiveness by 20. |
Pineapples | Pollination Parcel | $5,000 | Increases the Effectiveness of all other nearby Pineapple Plantations and Hydroponic Farms by 25 based on effectiveness (max 50). Maximum range is 12 tiles. |
Sugar | Fiber Fertilization | $4,000 | Increases the Effectiveness of all other nearby Plantations and Hydroponic Farms by 10 based on effectiveness (max 30). Maximum range is 12 tiles. |
Tobacco | Extensive Fertilization | $3,000 | Increases Effectiveness by 100 but the soil quality degrades over time.
Warning! This will drastically destroy soil fertility of the area. |