An increasing number of UK fresh food producers are considering introducing robots into their farm and packhouse operations. James Foskett Farms in Bromeswell, East Suffolk, recently invited experts from the automation market HowToRobot.com for a visit to its organic farm to explore opportunities to automate manual labor.
The on-site visit was part of a free offering to members of the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) in collaboration with HowToRobot.com. It helped the farm explore possible automation solutions and open a dialogue with vendors from abroad with the right solutions. As a result, the farm discovered solutions that were able to do both the seeding and weeding.
Since Brexit, it has become increasingly difficult for seasonal workers to get entry into the UK. A lack of workers has already forced some farmers to let their produce go to waste, while others are giving up on growing the most labor-intensive crops.
Source: fpcfreshtalkdaily.co.uk