Strawberries specially bred for automated picking will soon become a reality in Australia after the launch of an initiative to develop varieties that can be easily harvested by robots.
Scientists will naturally meld together the flavor, color, and aroma traits Aussies love the most with premium strawberry varieties from the world that feature single-stemmed fruit ideal for robotic picking. The $11.5M, the four-year effort, is being delivered through Hort Innovation and led by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland (DAFQ).
Hort Innovation chief executive Brett Fifield said recent data shows the horticulture workforce has decreased by 20 percent over the past three years, which has resulted in 40 percent of Australian growers adopting advanced machinery.
“The development of a sweet, rich red and aromatic strawberry that is ideal for automation will prove a game changer for growers who want to apply new technologies on-farm,” he said. “While harvesting strawberries using automation is not common practice yet in Australia, it will be before we know it.”
Read more at grower2grower.co.nz