Robots lend a hand picking berries as labor shortages persist on farms

With years of research behind them, fruit growers are turning to robots to help harvest amid human labor shortages.
Highlights: A Tasmanian berry farm is using 16 robotic harvesters to help pick its fruit this summer. Growers say robots are a potential solution to a human labor shortage during harvest. The robotics developers say the technology complements, rather than replaces, the human labor force
Burlington Berries in Cressy, northern Tasmania, dispatched a fleet of 16 robots from the Kingdom Kingdom to help with picking during the summer.
The farm tested its first robot in collaboration with British company Dogtooth Technologies almost seven years ago.
Each robot picks about four berries per minute and growers say the technology gives them "peace of mind" as labor shortages continue to plague the industry .
In Australia, the federal government and private investors have funded the development of fruit-picking robots.
But there are particular challenges using mechanical picking for soft fruits, such as st strawberries.
Rachel MacKenzie of Berries Aus tralia said robots were now very common in blueberry packing plants, but it was less common to use them for harvesting.
These strawberries were picked by robots on the farm based on color, shape and size.(ABC Rural: Laurissa Smith)
< p class="_39n3n">"Blueberries are hardier and I think some companies are exploring mechanical harvesting for non-premium varieties," she said.
" With rising labor costs, I can predict mechanical harvesting of blueberries will become more common over the next five years, but it is further away for rubus and strawberries.
"Labour costs are at least 60% of the cost of producing berries, so if there was a way to reduce them, there would be significant adoption."How do robots work?
Robots drive on track s between rows of strawberries grown on tables under poly tunnels.
Dozens of cameras are built into it, allowing them to take pictures of each strawberry.
The robots have two arms, which decide if a berry is the right size and shape to pick its rod.

Agrotech Feb 21, 2023 0 64 Add to Reading List

Robots lend a hand picking berries as labor shortages persist on farms

With years of research behind them, fruit growers are turning to robots to help harvest amid human labor shortages.

Highlights: A Tasmanian berry farm is using 16 robotic harvesters to help pick its fruit this summer. Growers say robots are a potential solution to a human labor shortage during harvest. The robotics developers say the technology complements, rather than replaces, the human labor force

Burlington Berries in Cressy, northern Tasmania, dispatched a fleet of 16 robots from the Kingdom Kingdom to help with picking during the summer.

The farm tested its first robot in collaboration with British company Dogtooth Technologies almost seven years ago.

Each robot picks about four berries per minute and growers say the technology gives them "peace of mind" as labor shortages continue to plague the industry .

In Australia, the federal government and private investors have funded the development of fruit-picking robots.

But there are particular challenges using mechanical picking for soft fruits, such as st strawberries.

Rachel MacKenzie of Berries Aus tralia said robots were now very common in blueberry packing plants, but it was less common to use them for harvesting.

< p class="_39n3n">"Blueberries are hardier and I think some companies are exploring mechanical harvesting for non-premium varieties," she said.

" With rising labor costs, I can predict mechanical harvesting of blueberries will become more common over the next five years, but it is further away for rubus and strawberries.

"Labour costs are at least 60% of the cost of producing berries, so if there was a way to reduce them, there would be significant adoption."How do robots work?

Robots drive on track s between rows of strawberries grown on tables under poly tunnels.

Dozens of cameras are built into it, allowing them to take pictures of each strawberry.

The robots have two arms, which decide if a berry is the right size and shape to pick its rod.