Technology news from Eurofruit
Technology news stories with a direct relevance to the European fresh produce business, including updates on production and harvesting systems, sorting and grading machinery, packaging, coldstorage and controlled atmosphere, digital management, robots and automation, vertical farming, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
Omer-Decugis and Semmaris to build Dunkirk platform
The €49mn project is set to double the French group’s fruit ripening capacity by the end of 2027
Biobest launches autonomous Polly robot for tomato pollination
Polly uses AI-driven image recognition and precision air bursts to pollinate tomatoes autonomously, delivering yield improvements of 2–6 per cent
Yuksel Seeds targets flavour, resistance and Gen Z tomato shoppers
Ahead of the Fruitnet Tomato Congress, Yuksel Seeds’ downstream integration lead Nico van Vliet touches on the trends shaping the category
Silal Group signs blueberry deal to expand UAE production
Silal has entered into a partnership with IQ Berries’ Middle East agent Ayla Berries to introduce premium varieties suited to UAE conditions
Citri&Co and Orth partner to bring AI agronomy to global fruit operations
Citri&Co to roll out the Dubai-based startup’s AI platform across global farms following successful pilot in Peru
Fruit Logistica 2027: Know what matters next
Event brings global expertise from business, science, policy and practice to Berlin, with more than 130 sessions and over 200 experts across five stages
Rijk Zwaan hosts inaugural European Salad Summit
Summit brought together lettuce producers and value chain experts to explore how collaboration and innovation can secure the category’s future
Tomato Expert Group issues warning over multiple challenges
Spain is grappling with a near 2 per cent production decline, a surge in energy and transport costs, and growing competition from Morocco
Saga Robotics’ Thorvald Platform named on Time’s Best Inventions list
Autonomous farming robot is recognised for its role in transforming agriculture by replacing chemical fungicide treatments with light
PSG opens berry genetics to wider European grower market
Steve Nelson, owner and CEO at Plant Sciences Genetics, speaks to Fruitnet about the company’s new open-market portfolio in Europe
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Source.ag acquires UK AI startup Optimal
Dutch AI firm Source.ag has purchased Optimal, “closing the loop” on autonomous greenhouse control
USDA awards $16.2mn to upgrade MSU plant science greenhouses
A major USDA NIFA grant will help Michigan State University complete the modernisation of its Plant Science Research Greenhouse Complex
Sorma launches EVA-700 pre-sizing machine in Madrid
Group has taken the wraps off its EVA-700 automated pre-sizing machine and Ultra-Scan internal defect detection system at Fruit Attraction
CH Robinson acquires RXO in US$5.8bn mega-deal
Landmark acquisition unites two major US logistics networks, expanding multimodal transport capabilities and strengthening refrigerated services
Comment: EU’s food safety rules are becoming a trade debate
EU farmers are asking a legitimate question: why should they be denied access to tools available to growers elsewhere, while products imported into the EU can be produced using crop protection solutions unavailable to them?
Modal Group launches rail link between Dunkirk and Lyon
Modal Group has introduced a new multi-client rail connection between Dunkirk and Lyon, complete with refrigerated transport options
Tomra unveils new 5S Blueberry sorter
Machine combines Spectrim with LUCAi, allowing precise dehydration detection, consistent sizing results, and optimised throughput
Interko engineers evolutionary air cooler
Company says its fifth-generation ripening room cooler marks a breakthrough in design, giving fruit ripeners a smarter system to maintain and control
Food Freshly to showcase new two-step wash process in Madrid
The group is moving its innovative two-step wash technology from laboratory validation into commercial applications
Hudson River and Plantik target heat tolerance in strawberries
A partnership between the two companies aims to tackle the growing threat of rising global temperatures to strawberry yields, paving the way for heat-tolerant varieties