They have proven particularly valuable for picking fruit and vegetables as farmers have struggled to find enough pickers. Read more at straitstimes.com.
SYDNEY - Farmers in Australia are turning to robots to help them pick, sow and irrigate crops in a major shift that is helping to address workforce shortages and improve environmental outcomes.
Farmers believe such robots can be more effective at identifying and picking ripe fruit without causing bruising or damage and can potentially work faster than human pickers and may be able to operate 24 hours a day. The country produces far more than it can consume, with more than 70 per cent of total produce sold overseas. Major exports include wheat, cattle, sheep, dairy, wine, wool, sugar and fruit.
Borders are now open again, but farmers are still struggling to find enough workers, due to global labour shortages and Australia’s current low levels of unemployment. “Automation will mean people can take on value-adding opportunities in their businesses and is a necessity in Australia where there is a shortage of labour,” she said.The federal and state governments have been encouraging the use of new technology in the agriculture sector, including providing grants to develop robots that can remove weeds and that can improve the quality of manure.
In the state of Queensland, a farming family’s business recently raised A$12 million for their SwarmFarm technology, which involves using “swarms” of robots to sow seeds, weed, apply fertiliser and harvest crops.
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