"We've been developing mechanized harvesting techniques using robotic machinery for a while. I believe that by 2027, we will be using robots for intensive kiwifruit harvesting," announced Angelo Benedetti, president of Unitec, at last week's "Shaping the Future and Organizing the Present" conference in Faenza, Italy. The event was promoted by the Italian Association of Agricultural Technicians and Technologists.
Unitec robotic arm harvesting kiwis
"We are conducting experiments with different types of fruit, such as apples, peaches, nectarines, and plums. Kiwis are yielding the best results, with 85% of the fruit already harvested efficiently at a speed faster than manual harvesting."
The goal is to harvest the fruit without human assistance. "While our experimental harvesting machines show great promise, close cooperation between the engineers who develop the technology and the agronomists is necessary. For example, picking peaches can be difficult due to an abundance of leaves and flexible twigs."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comAngelo Benedetti
"By 2027, I believe we will be able to start intensive kiwifruit harvesting. Each machine will have six robotic arms that will determine the fruit's degree of ripeness and harvest it. The challenge lies in the considerable investment required for these harvesters, but we are working to reduce costs and make the technology accessible to large, organized companies."
Then, Benedetti shared his broader perspective on the world of fruit growing with the audience of technicians and farmers. "In my opinion, Italy has a cultural deficiency when it comes to fruit growing. It's crucial to abandon the outdated concept of producing tons of fruit per hectare and focus on the organoleptic quality of each fruit. Chile understood this 20 years ago, and we have been helping them with the qualitative selection of cherries ever since. They mostly export these cherries to Asia. They started with a few thousand hectares, and today they have more than 70 thousand."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comA moment of the conference
"We must all take responsibility for providing consumers with delicious fruit. When someone eats our fruit, they should have an unforgettable experience that leaves them wanting more right away. We must generate the desire to repurchase. This is possible if everyone in the supply chain works toward this goal, from selecting varieties and managing orchards to using sorting technology to package and distribute the fruit."
"To contribute to this cultural and agricultural growth, we have established the Fresh Foundation, which invests in and organizes events for in-depth scientific discussions. I invite you all to the next event during Macfrut, where we will focus on water resources," Benedetti concluded.
For more information:
www.unitec-group.com
