From automation and robots to mechanical harvesters and ‘smart’ fridges, the industry could look substantially different in 10 years. Chloe Ryan dusts down her crystal ball and takes a look into the future
Picture humanoid robots harvesting strawberries in Herefordshire fields, their three-fingered hands scanning the plants for ripe fruit before gently picking the berries and moving along the line. This may seem like a sci-fi dream, but, according to some experts, robots could be transforming our fruit fields and orchards within the next decade.
In July, it was revealed at the Automation Conference at East Malling Research (EMR), Kent, that “finger touch harvesting” has been developed, and according to US company SynTouch’s co-founder Dr Nick Wettels, the technology exists to enable fruit harvesting. “Robots in human form are not so far away,” he says. “Our BioTac biomimetic tactile sensor array model has fingerprints and sensory measurement for temperature, force and texture. When will we need tactile sensing? With strawberries we do and we can provide grip adjustments on what is essentially a hand with three thumbs. Modern robots have been restricted to simple, constrictive environments, not conducive to harvesting, but the technology is there for fruit harvesting.”
Glasshouses provide an excellent opportunity for further automation, because they are a controlled environment. “You have got the opportunity to have machines on the rails between the tomato rows,” says Chris Atkinson, head of science at EMR. “You could develop a robot to pick whole trusses of tomatoes through image analysis. All of that technology is on the horizon, but ultimately whether or not it gets used will be a question of economics.”
Robots are just one of the technologies that could potentially change the face of the fresh produce industry in the next decade. Complete automation of once labour-intensive processes either in the field or glasshouse, the processing plant and the warehouse, is likely to become more common as the global squeeze on resources becomes an ever more pressing issue. Water, fertiliser, oil and labour all come into the equation.
Picture now a grower who never needs to visit the fields; he simply observes the soil and plants through sensors on his computer and irrigates accordingly, ensuring no water and fertiliser is wasted. Currently, on some farms, tractor satellite navigation technology is used alongside soil analysis to ensure fertiliser is used only where necessary.
According to Atkinson, technology that minimises water usage is likely to come to the fore within the next decade. It will be most in demand both within the dry regions of the UK in the South East, and also in the Mediterranean, where many imported crops are grown. EMR has been working with companies that produce moisture sensors to incorporate the devices into growing systems so growers know exactly how much water to use. In addition, he says “the technology associated with telemetry means we can find out what is happening in fields or orchards so growers don’t have to visit them; they can make decisions about irrigation literally sitting at their computer opening valves and shutting valves.”
The principle has been proven, says Atkinson, and the next stage is trying to persuade growers to invest. In addition, he believes there is potential for a new certification system, similar to Red Tractor or Fairtrade, based on minimal water wastage. “It is very much still on the drawing board but certifying UK growers means they can say they are using resources efficiently. This is ultimately where we feel science will impact on the industry and the technology we have developed will enable the industry to use less water.”
Some developments are more outlandish. Food that reorders itself from the consumer’s fridge anyone? Nick Allen, head of business improvement at Fresh Direct, believes in the future far greater use will be made of RFID tagging. “At the moment it is used for self-supplying products moving through warehouses, so if you use three, it will order three.” It is possible in the future we could see uses such as in consumers’ fridges so when a product has been used it is automatically reordered online.
Sometimes developments are less dramatic, but can make an enormous difference. Since the 1980s, onion processors have wanted to fully automate their peeling lines, replacing workers who position each onion before it enters the peeler. “It is a horrible job,” says Rob Allum, managing director of machinery supplier Projx. “The peeler is noisy, messy and uncomfortable to be with because you just cry like a baby. You have two operators per 12,000 onions and they have to rotate every onion and it is very costly for the processors because if you don’t get it right you can lose your yield. Operators normally get 80 per cent efficiency and quite often they lose concentration.”
This February, Dutch company Finis, for which Projx is sole import agent, launched the FAUP8, which automates the process. “The new system uses a camera to find where the top and tail is, and it gets 96 per cent efficiency with no labour at all. It is taking automation to a new level. Literally you can just reverse a bulker of onions up to the intake area and out come 12,000 tonnes of peeled onions. It is such a big deal for them and so successful that we are fully booked on production until next March.”
As the price of oil shows no sign of falling, some fresh produce businesses have been investing in alternative sources of fuel. Fresh Direct embarked on a trial 18 months ago to see if electric delivery vehicles would prove a viable alternative to diesel vans. The jury is still out, says Allen. “Aside from the cost of the product, running the vehicles is our biggest expense. We are trying to evaluate if it is right for our business and I suppose the honest answer is actually we are still sitting on the fence.”
Allen says there are disadvantages, including the short range (70 miles is around the limit before it needs recharging) and also the weight of the battery packs. The key thing that has to change is we need a step change in the battery technology and I suppose the analogy is the mobile phone. If you think what the mobile phone used to look like, it was this huge great block, but batteries got better and the phone got much slimmer. If they can do the same thing with vehicle batteries, then the next step is you can get more load onto the vehicle so it starts to make sense.”
For Fresh Direct, the next step is to trial hybrid vehicles. While cars such as the Toyota Prius have had success with consumers, commercial vehicle manufacturers have not embraced the technology. However, Fresh Direct is currently working with a manufacturer, which Allen says he cannot name, which is developing a hybrid commercial vehicle for Fresh Direct to trial. “We are working with a major commercial manufacturer testing other alternatives,” he says. “Hopefully we should be testing the vehicle in the early part of 2012. Hybrids have been a success in the car business; if they can translate that into commercial vehicles, it can be a winner.”
Source: Fresh Info, 30th September 2011