Fruit Picking Robots Market Is Estimated To Witness Growth Due To Increasing Labor Costs

The Fruit Picking Robots Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 32.06 Bn in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 6.2% over the forecast period 2024-2031, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights’The growth of the fruit picking robots market is driven by rising labor costs associated with manual fruit harvesting.

Farm owners are increasingly adopting fruit picking robots as they help reduce labor costs significantly. Fruit picking is a tedious and time-consuming process when done manually. Robots can harvest fruits faster than humans, thereby improving farm productivity. Additionally, robots ensure consistent fruit harvesting without affecting quality. This further fuels their demand.

Key Market Trends: Adoption of AI and IoT in fruit picking robots: Leading manufacturers are focusing on developing smart fruit picking robots integrated with AI and IoT technologies. These technologies help robots identify ripe fruits more accurately, pick specific varieties of fruits, and transferHarvested data to farmers. Such robots offer improved efficiency and optimize harvest.

Growing preference for lease model: Vendors are also providing fruit picking robots on lease to make them affordable for small and medium farmers. The lease model allows farmers to pay based on the quantity of fruits harvested through robots. This flexibility and pay-per-use model is gaining increasing popularity among farmers.

Fruit Picking Robots Market Opportunities: Horticulture Farming Opportunity: Fruit picking robots are increasingly being adopted for horticulture farming as they offer efficiency and precision in fruit harvesting. Robots can harvest fruits and vegetables 24/7 without getting tired, thereby increasing yields. They can detect and pick ripe produce gently without damaging the crops or leaving any behind. This reduces crop loss and improves profit margins for farmers. Robots are programmed to select crops based on criteria like color, size, shape etc., ensuring only mature fruits are plucked. Their adoption allows farms to scale up operations with minimal incremental labor costs.

Warehouse Automation Opportunity: Many companies in the food industry are automating post-harvest processes using fruit picking robots. These companies have huge warehouses where fruits need to be sorted, packaged and shipped efficiently. Robots equipped with computer vision and machine learning capabilities can sieve out defective or unripe fruits at a much faster rate than human laborers. They bring accuracy and consistency to tasks like grading, sorting and packaging. Automating warehouse operations through robots boosts throughput, saves on labor costs and helps achieve production targets easily. This trend is expected to grow stronger as labor costs rise.

Key Market Takeaways: The global fruit picking robots market size was valued at USD 32.06 Bn in 2024 and is anticipated to witness a CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period 2024-2031. Increased adoption of automation in the agriculture sector is driving market growth.

On the basis of type, the clam shell robot segment is expected to hold over 30% market share owing to its advantage of gently clamping various types of fruits without damaging them.

The capacity 1-10 kg segment commands more than 45% share as most fruits weigh less than 10kg. This segment is favored for fruits like berries, grapes etc.

North America is the dominant regional market with over 35% share due to high technology adoption rate in the farming sector. Presence of major players and government support for agri-tech boost market growth here.

Competitor Insights: Some leading players operating in the fruit picking robots market include AGROBOT, Abundant Robotics, Dogtooth Technologies, FFRobotics, Tortuga Agricultural Technologies Inc., and Pixies. These companies are investing in R&D to develop advanced robot models for newer applications. Partnerships with farms are also being strengthened to boost adoption.

Recent Developments: In July 2023, Abundant is planning to release their cherry picking robot model for commercial sales. They will initially focus on cherry orchards in the United States and Europe. The robot aims to pick cherries at the rate of over half a ton per day with an accuracy of more than 95%. Its soft grippers are designed to handle delicate fruits without damaging them. Abundant also plans to introduce orchard management tools and analytics solutions along with their robot. More information in full report.