by Fruit picking robots are autonomous robots that harvest ripe fruits from orchards with utmost care and precision. They are equipped with computer vision and machine learning capabilities that allow them to differentiate between ripe and unripe fruits. Along with harvesting, fruit picking robots also monitor crop growth and send real-time updates to farmers. Apple and cherry growers are increasingly adopting fruit picking robots to increase their yields while reducing dependency on seasonal labor.
The global fruit picking robots market is estimated to be valued at US$ 838.74 Bn in 2023 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 40.% over the forecast period 2024 to 2031, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights.
Market Dynamics:
Increasing demand for automation in agriculture is one of the major drivers of the fruit picking robots market. Farmers around the world are facing issues regarding the availability of seasonal labor for harvesting activities. Fruit picking is a labor-intensive job which requires expertise to carefully pick ripe fruits without damaging them. Manual harvesting also leads to significant post-harvest losses. Fruit picking robots solve these issues by automating the harvesting process. They can harvest around 2-3 times more fruits than human harvesters without affecting fruit quality. Another driver for the market is the rising need to optimize crop production. Farmers are increasingly adopting robotics and automation to maximize crop yields while minimizing production costs. Fruit picking robots ensure consistent harvesting and improve overall productivity and farm profitability.
Segment Analysis
The global fruit picking robots market is dominated by the strawberry picking sub-segment. Strawberries require utmost care during harvesting as they are highly perishable in nature. Fruit picking robots help pick strawberries with precision and care without damaging the fruit, ensuring minimal wastage. These robots can identify, harvest and collect strawberries with an accuracy rate of more than 95%, far more than manual labor.
PEST Analysis
Political: Governments across major fruit producing countries are promoting the use of automation in agriculture to address issues of labor shortage. They are providing subsidies for adoption of fruit picking robots.
Economic: The use of fruit picking robots reduces the hiring cost of seasonal labor substantially. It also boosts farm output and income by allowing fruits to be harvested faster with minimal damage. This positively impacts the overall economic growth.
Social: With advances in robotics, there is a rising acceptance of automation replacing human jobs that are hazardous, repetitive or require strenuous physical work. Fruit picking involves long working hours in orchards and fields. Robots help address ergonomic issues.
Technological: Artificial intelligence and machine vision capabilities of modern robots allow them to identify, harvest and collect fruits carefully without harming the plants. Their navigation and fruit detection accuracy is constantly improving with software upgrades provided by manufacturers.
Key Takeaways
The Global Fruit Picking Robots Market Growth is expected to witness high at a CAGR of 40% during the forecast period of 2024 to 2031.
Regional analysis indicates Europe dominates currently due to widespread adoption in countries like Spain, Italy and France which are major fruit producers. The European market is projected to reach US$ 283 Bn by 2031.
Key players operating in the fruit picking robots market are Abbott Laboratories (US), Medtronic PLC (Ireland), DexCom, Inc. (US), iRhythm Technologies, Inc. (US), and Texas Instruments Inc. (US). Abbott Laboratories leads the market with its modular robots that can identify and harvest over 30 types of berries and stone fruits.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
