Futuristic Farming comes to Kent

Produced in Kent members were treated to an exclusive demonstration of some of the newest, most innovative tech in the farming world at their most recent members’ event held on 30^th August 2024. The event showcased groundbreaking innovations in robotic soft fruit picking technology, for some of the county’s growers and producers.

Held at a farm near Maidstone, the event featured live demonstrations of the latest advancements in agricultural robotics designed to revolutionize soft fruit picking. Attendees witnessed a working demonstration of how the strawberry harvesting robots work with the table-top growing systems widely used around the world.

Dr Duncan Roberston from Dogtooth Technologies demonstrated the technology and opened the event with an introduction to the robotics and how it has been developed.

"We are thrilled to showcase cutting-edge technologies that promise to transform horticulture," Robertson stated. "By harnessing the power of a combination of low-cost harvesting robots and state-of-the-art AI control systems, we can help to ensure a sustainable future for horticulture, and support our farmers in their efforts to provide consumers with fresh, high-quality produce."

Dogtooth Technologies have been working closely with UK growers and developing commercial robotic harvesting solutions since 2016. In terms of productive output, their latest generation robots are increasing, comparable with human pickers. The robots use autonomous navigation along crop rows, locate and pick the ripe fruit, and use on-board quality control – grading picked berries, placing them directly into punnets according to supermarket criteria.

While robotic fruit pickers are not without challenges, such as high initial costs and the need for technical expertise, their benefits in terms of efficiency, precision, and sustainability make them a valuable asset in modern agriculture. Many agricultural sectors face seasonal labour shortages, particularly since Brexit, with some farmers reporting crops being left to rot as they did not have enough pickers. Robotics can help fill this gap by providing a reliable workforce that is both efficient and accurate.

Feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing excitement about the potential of these technologies to revolutionise the agricultural sector. The event has sparked new collaborations and discussions about the future of farming in Kent.

For any images or interviews contact Claire Hernandez on claire@sharprelations.com or AJ Sharp on aj@sharprelations.com at Sharp Relations

Photo courtesy of Stepstone Imaging