• Latest
  • Trending
Mechanized cucumber harvesting, packing emerges

Mechanized cucumber harvesting, packing emerges

May 12, 2022
Outsmarting Pests, Preserving Diversity: A Grower’s Adaptive Strategy Saves the Season

Outsmarting Pests, Preserving Diversity: A Grower’s Adaptive Strategy Saves the Season

October 8, 2025
Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

October 8, 2025
The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

October 7, 2025
Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

October 7, 2025
Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

October 6, 2025
The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

October 6, 2025
The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

October 5, 2025
From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

October 5, 2025
Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

October 4, 2025
Beyond the Pie: What Google Trends Data Reveals About Evolving Pumpkin Markets

Beyond the Pie: What Google Trends Data Reveals About Evolving Pumpkin Markets

October 4, 2025
Beyond the Yield: Leveraging Agritourism and Experience-Based Revenue in Modern Agriculture

Beyond the Yield: Leveraging Agritourism and Experience-Based Revenue in Modern Agriculture

October 3, 2025
Weathering the Storm: How an Amur Family Farm Masters Onion Production Against the Odds

Weathering the Storm: How an Amur Family Farm Masters Onion Production Against the Odds

October 3, 2025
  • Company
Thursday, October 9, 2025
Vegetables News
  • NEWS
    Outsmarting Pests, Preserving Diversity: A Grower’s Adaptive Strategy Saves the Season

    Outsmarting Pests, Preserving Diversity: A Grower’s Adaptive Strategy Saves the Season

    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

    The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

    Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

    Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

    Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

    Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

    The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

    From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

    From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

    Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

    Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

  • AGROTECHNOLOGY
    • All
    • Climate
    • Crop protection
    • digital (smart)
    • dron
    • Fertilizer
    • Research
    • weed
    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Water Spinach Specialist: A Blueprint for High-Value Specialty Crops and Cooperative Success

    The Water Spinach Specialist: A Blueprint for High-Value Specialty Crops and Cooperative Success

    Weathering the Storm: How Vietnamese Farmers and Traders Collaborate to Stabilize the Greens Market

    Weathering the Storm: How Vietnamese Farmers and Traders Collaborate to Stabilize the Greens Market

    Stavropol’s Borscht Belt: High-Yield Vegetable Harvest Reaches One-Third Completion

    Stavropol’s Borscht Belt: High-Yield Vegetable Harvest Reaches One-Third Completion

    Yakutia Defies the Odds: Harvest Data Reveals a Surge in Arctic Agriculture

    Yakutia Defies the Odds: Harvest Data Reveals a Surge in Arctic Agriculture

    Beyond the Subsidy: Unlocking True Productivity Gains in Ugandan Agriculture

    Beyond the Subsidy: Unlocking True Productivity Gains in Ugandan Agriculture

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

  • IRRIGATION
  • SEED PRODUCTION
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
  • PROCESSING
No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
    Outsmarting Pests, Preserving Diversity: A Grower’s Adaptive Strategy Saves the Season

    Outsmarting Pests, Preserving Diversity: A Grower’s Adaptive Strategy Saves the Season

    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

    The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

    Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

    Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

    Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

    Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

    The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

    From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

    From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

    Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

    Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

  • AGROTECHNOLOGY
    • All
    • Climate
    • Crop protection
    • digital (smart)
    • dron
    • Fertilizer
    • Research
    • weed
    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Water Spinach Specialist: A Blueprint for High-Value Specialty Crops and Cooperative Success

    The Water Spinach Specialist: A Blueprint for High-Value Specialty Crops and Cooperative Success

    Weathering the Storm: How Vietnamese Farmers and Traders Collaborate to Stabilize the Greens Market

    Weathering the Storm: How Vietnamese Farmers and Traders Collaborate to Stabilize the Greens Market

    Stavropol’s Borscht Belt: High-Yield Vegetable Harvest Reaches One-Third Completion

    Stavropol’s Borscht Belt: High-Yield Vegetable Harvest Reaches One-Third Completion

    Yakutia Defies the Odds: Harvest Data Reveals a Surge in Arctic Agriculture

    Yakutia Defies the Odds: Harvest Data Reveals a Surge in Arctic Agriculture

    Beyond the Subsidy: Unlocking True Productivity Gains in Ugandan Agriculture

    Beyond the Subsidy: Unlocking True Productivity Gains in Ugandan Agriculture

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

  • IRRIGATION
  • SEED PRODUCTION
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
  • PROCESSING
No Result
View All Result
Vegetables News
Home AGROTECHNOLOGY

Mechanized cucumber harvesting, packing emerges

by Tatyana Ivanovich
May 12, 2022
in AGROTECHNOLOGY
0
Mechanized cucumber harvesting, packing emerges

A Dutch robotics firm says its machine could be automatically harvesting greenhouse cucumbers in a few years.

Harvests for greenhouse cucumbers can run nine months to year-round with artificial light, said Richard Vialle, CCO and co-founder for One of A Kind Technologies. While the crop harvests can run around the year, an automated harvest could be more efficient and hygienic than traditional labor-intensive processes.

The prototype robot uses sensors to detect cucumbers hanging from a highwire greenhouse system and harvests them with a knife that is heated to reduce the transference of disease.

A prototype robot from Crux Agribotics uses three-dimensional and two-dimensional sight to find cucumbers in a greenhouse setting. Photos: Crux Agribotics/One of A Kind Technologies

Vialle’s business group, which is marketing the technology under the Crux Agribotics brand, had a lot of interest from greenhouse cucumber growers after attending Fruit Logistica last February in Berlin. One of A Kind Technologies and its robotics brand Beltech have also developed an automated packing line for cucumbers and other vegetables.

Vialle said a harvesting robot is being developed to fit into “brownfield,” or existing, greenhouse operations.

Growers looking to make their greenhouses robotic would be making a big leap. Beyond investing in expensive technology, they would want to convert their operations from being open eight-10 hours per day to round-the-clock with less staff.

“We have to prove the solution,” Vialle wrote in an email. “The harvesting robots will still take two-three years to be launched to the market broadly. For the coming years, we will help the growers get used to automation that is more consistent, hygienic and less dependent on humans (which are becoming scarce, not consistent, costly and introduce viruses into the greenhouse environment).”

If not ready for commercial launch, the harvesting robot has proven the concept is possible.

“The prototype was built to prove, to ourselves and the value chain involved, that it is fundamentally possible to detect cucumbers, and the crops (leaves, branches) to subsequently classify the cucumbers to harvest only those cucumbers that match defined class types, and hence increasing the yield per square meter,” Vialle said. The machine combines a variety of technologies including two- and three-dimensional vision to see groups of cucumbers and plan routes to pick and remove them with minimal damage to the rest of the plant.

He said the company would like to test three to five robotic systems in different greenhouses over a very long period.

“Nothing fundamental, but it would be naive to paint a picture that it will be easy from now onwards,” he said. “We believe we can do it, it is now more an issue of funding and resources that need to be allocated.”

Currently, the sensors can identify about 99% of the cucumbers in a greenhouse, but even when the robot is finished, not all of the cucumbers will likely be accessible for robotic picking.

The machines are able to detect the position of each cucumber.

“We do not believe machine learning nor computer vision will be the limiting factor,” Vielle said. “It will be the maximum speed of movement by robots, picking and placing with preservation of the product quality and integrity (not damaging it externally, internally nor injecting stress into the plants).”

Like other agriculture technologies, the finished products could be marketed to growers as a service rather than a major equipment purchase. The business-speak terms for such arrangements are operational expenditure (OPEX), similar to the software as a service (SAAS) model.

“We will launch different robot concepts for grading, sorting and packing and offer these also in an OPEX model, where growers who are reluctant to invest in new technology can invest in a very limited way and pay the majority as they use (per packed box or tray),” Vialle said. “This service will include fully-managed services where we guarantee full warranty, on-site support, preventive and corrective maintenance and participate in the risk in a more balanced way. For sure, if the productivity is there, we make more money but can still offer growers a reasonable payback. Then, if they are convinced, they can buy the system still or keep it running as a service and get all these added-value services included according to contract.”

The group’s automated packing technology will be on display at the GreenTech show June 11-13 in Amsterdam. So far, the group gathered feedback at Fruit Logistica, a trade show that drew 78,000 trade visitors from 135 countries.

Agricultural labor, it seems, is not a problem only in the U.S.

“Growers all over the world confirm that we are working in the right direction driven by demographics (10 billion people, scarcity of resources), labor (scarce, costly, not consistent), urbanization combined with an increasing interest in environmentally-friendly handling (reducing waste of product and packages),” Vielle said. “Even relatively low cost-countries are seeing that the current model where humans are working in a sequential process is not scalable.

At the end, the work is also hard and dirty and people want, or get the chance to obtain, other work as well as the economy develops. In Holland, we see that the Eastern European temp workers are getting other jobs, and in the U.S., we hear similar things about the people from Mexico.”

– Stephen Kloosterman, associate editor

Tags: Mechanized
Previous Post

Phenome Networks, Delair boost breeding, variety testing with drone data

Next Post

Specialty crops automation research detailed by Multistate Research Fund

Next Post

Specialty crops automation research detailed by Multistate Research Fund

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy of vegetables.news app

© 2020-2024 VEGETABLES NEWS

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • AGROTECHNOLOGY
  • IRRIGATION
  • SEED PRODUCTION
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
  • PROCESSING

© 2020-2024 VEGETABLES NEWS