How Agricultural Robots Help Australian Growers Adapt to Rising Costs

During a webinar hosted by the VegMech programme, two Australian farmers discussed the specific challenges they face. The growers discussed the potential of robotic solutions with representatives from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Farm Concepts and Hort Innovation. Their discussion was followed by presentations from manufacturers with automated weeding solutions.

Representatives from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries shared background info for webinar attendees unfamiliar with the Australian vegetable industry. Ian Layden, R&D Director for Vegetables and Supply Chains, said the Australian vegetable industry employs more than 23,000 people and has a farmgate value of more than $5.83 billion (AUD). Julie O'Halloran, Senior Development Horticulturist at the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, described the diverse growing areas in Australia.

“Production occurs in sandy dune complexes in the west of the country and the central south, through to heavy cracking clays in subtropical and tropical areas further north and everything in between,” O'Halloran explained.

Voices from the Field: Vegetable Farmers Outline Key Concerns

O'Halloran then introduced growers Jono Craven, Chief Agriculture Officer at Harvest Moon and Troy Qualischefski, from Qualipac Farms in Queensland. Craven, whose operations span Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, identified labour costs as a primary concern. “Basic labour for anything that is done in the field by hand would be the equivalent of $26 US dollars an hour or 24 to 25 Euros per hour,” Craven said, adding that this cost is “increasing rapidly.” Craven also described increasing problems with herbicide resistance and a desire to reduce pesticide use, aligning with European trends.

Qualischefski echoed Craven's comments. Despite the geographical distance between their farms (Qualischefski operates in Queensland), both farmers faced similar challenges. Qualischefski noted his fertiliser costs increased more than 50% post-COVID.

Bridging the Gap: Grower Insights for Ag Tech Manufacturers

When asked about the opportunities for automation, Craven saw potential in “anything involving labour,” particularly weeding and hand-harvested crops like broccoli and cauliflower.

He also acknowledged the challenge of creating a mechanised solution for different crops with different row spacings. “We have half meter, 10 centimetres, etc. I want technology that's going to help me across all of those, but I'm sort of resolved to the fact that I'm going to need multiple pieces of equipment to deal with our different production systems.”

Qualischefski noted that speed is desirable, but he primarily wanted equipment that could “go out and weed on its own.”

“Weeds are very problematic for us up here, so we were hoping to eliminate the hand-weeding part of our business, and we've done that quite successfully,” Qualischefski said. He then shared his experience with two pieces of automated weeding equipment: a FarmDroid from Denmark and a Stout machine from the United States.

“The Stout machine hooks on behind a tractor and uses a camera system to detect the plant and the weed and separate the two,” Qualischefski said. “The Farm Droid is a seeding and weeding machine. It knows through GPS where that seed has been placed. It can then come back and weed that crop.”

Qualischefski noted the Stout had a person near it at all times because it was towed behind a tractor, but the FarmDroid could work autonomously 24 hours per day.

Advice From Farmers to Agricultural Robot Manufacturers

Both Craven and Qualischefski offered advice to technology companies looking to enter the Australian market.

Craven urged manufacturers to consider how their equipment will work in Australia’s topography and climate. He described concerns around laser weeding technology developed for California’s flat, dry environment and wondered how well it would operate in areas with slope and heavy rainfall.

When asked to describe his ideal machine solution, Craven said onions would have the greatest return on investment due to the challenges associated with weed control, pesticide applications, and row spacing. He also emphasised “ease of use” and equipment that requires minimal maintenance.

Qualischefski also stressed the importance of equipment that’s easy to use and implement. He advised manufacturers to ensure equipment is easy to set up and urged them to send knowledgeable, passionate technicians and described a positive experience with FarmDroid. He also noted post-purchase service and support is essential.

He then turned the tables a bit and noted farmers need to meet manufacturers halfway. “Sometimes, learning the tech isn’t the hard thing. It's the unlearning,” Qualischefski said. “You know what our fathers or forefathers did, but you sometimes have to forget about all that stuff, start with a blank canvas and be prepared to make mistakes. When you meet halfway, it makes the process of getting the machines up and running quite easy.”

Panelists described other issues agricultural robot manufacturers should take into account when designing products for Australia. Both Craven and Qualischefski cited the costs associated with imported machinery.

Braden Hellmuth, Agricultural Technology Specialist and Director at Farm Concepts, raised the issue of connectivity in regional Australia and the need for technologies that can operate with “low data” requirements. He also encouraged manufacturers to develop equipment that is as versatile as possible because one grower may have multiple setups or want to use the same machine with multiple crops.

Automated Weeding Solutions

The second half of the webinar featured pitches from manufacturers of agricultural robots and precision spraying technology.

Naïo Technologies

Julien Laffont, Strategy and Business Director at Naïo Technologies presented the company’s range of fully autonomous electric robots designed for both vegetable farming and viticulture. Laffont described how the company partnered with local dealers to ensure Naïo customers have technical support whenever they need it.

A few benefits of Naïo’s robots include:

• Precision within 1-2 cm
• Four times lighter than tractors
• Ability to use up to 14 different implements

Verdant Robotics

Curtis Garner, COO & Co-founder of Verdant Robotics, introduced the Sharpshooter Smart Sprayer. The equipment can be attached to any tractor and uses computer vision and machine learning to precisely target weeds, reducing herbicide use.

“We have a spot sprayer that puts a dollop of a fluid just on the weed and nowhere else,” Garner said, estimating a 68 to 96% reduction in material sprayed and applied.

Garner said the sprayer can operate day or night and works well on high-density crops such as carrots, garlic, onions, leafy greens, spearmint and mint. “The sprayers can come in at any angle and reach around and avoid hitting leaves,” Garner explained.

Ecorobotix

José Marchetti, Americas Regional Manager at Ecorobotix, presented the company’s ARA ultra-high precision sprayer, which can be towed behind a tractor. “It’s an ultra-high precision sprayer, very compact with three modules, a full bar with no blind spots covering six meters (19.5 feet) wide.”

Marchetti highlighted the machine's ability to operate at a consistent speed regardless of weed infestation levels and described the machines’ popularity in Europe and growing dealer network in the northern hemisphere.

Learn More or View the Entire Webinar

The entire webinar is available to view on YouTube. Watch from the beginning or skip to the manufacturer presentations and Q & A. A second webinar with two different vegetable growers highlighting robotic harvesting and packaging solutions is also available on FIRA’s YouTube channel.

This programme was sponsored by Hort Innovation. Hort has partnered with GOFAR and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to bring new technologies to Australia. In addition to these webinars, Hort sponsors technology demonstrations at the Gatton Smart Farm in Queensland and the Gatton AgTech Field Day.