Technology news from Fresh Produce Journal
Technology news stories with a direct relevance to the UK 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.
Sollum and Optimal look to advance AI greenhouse control
The companies combine dynamic lighting and AI climate control as they aim to create more precise controlled environment agriculture
New Bayer tomato varieties offer protection against ToBRFV
The company is using multi-stacked virus-resistant genes to bring more durable protection against ToBRFV mutations
Final hours to register for Festival of Fresh 2025
Don’t miss FPJ’s summer festival in Spalding, featuring big-name speakers, top-level networking, and exclusive tours of the Worldwide Fruit packhouse
World-first data ‘cube’ to revolutionise soil health mapping
Growers will have access to cutting-edge soil health modelling that has used AI to build digital twin of earth and map soil patterns through time and space
Festival of Fresh 2025 attracts top retail buyers
A number of Britain’s biggest grocers will be at FPJ’s summer festival on 5 June for a day of top-level networking, insightful interviews and festival fun
M&S extends Tenderstem season as Plan A bears fruit
Premium retailer has worked with growers to extend British veg season using polytunnels and is trialling precision pollination to boost strawberry yields
Chilled logistics firm has been hacked, BBC reveals
Major service provider to British supermarkets insists business remains unaffected but admits it is subject of ransomware attack
Thanet Earth’s seventh glasshouse to open in November
Construction is underway on Thanet Earth’s seventh high-tech glasshouse in Birchington, Kent, which will produce an additional 150mn tomatoes a year
Robotics firm Muddy Machines to wind down
Exclusive: The firm behind the robotic harvester Sprout is winding down operations after failing to secure new funding, as founder warns industry will struggle to face challenges ahead
Hugh Lowe Farms trials polytunnel solar panels
Electric Berry project powers farm tools and equipment using flexible solar panels attached to top of its polytunnels, with no extra land required
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BelOrta brings Belgian cherry business under one roof
Company says move will help it achieve greater efficiency and longer shelf-life for its fruit when new season begins
British Berry Growers report calls on government and retailers to step up
Detailed report highlights uncertain economic outlook and calls for better support on retail returns, labour, planning permission, and funding
Maersk upgrades IoT connectivity across its fleet
Shipping giant has begun the roll-out of its new digital connectivity platform OneWireless aboard 450 vessels
CropCam offers tech boost to vertical farming sector
AI and machine learning is at the heart of the new system
Fefpeb warns of mounting price challenges
Federation reports on upward price pressure on the pallet business in recent months
New app a ‘game-changer’ for farm management
Jon Stewart, the main man behind MeritAgCheck, tells FPJ how the new app is revolutionising farm management and simplifying health and safety
IGD calls for accelerated AI and robotics adoption
Analyst says greater investment is needed to transform food systems with technology, particularly in the face of the labour cost crunch
Mission Produce inaugurates Guatemala packhouse
New facility expands upon the company’s vertically integrated global sourcing network to serve global markets year-round
The wild potential of AI
Given the plethora of potential uses in the fresh produce sector, AI undoubtedly has the power to reshape the business, but its ability to create certainty for growers comes with a dose of unpredictability
How shipping containers are shaping urban vertical farming
Andrew Thompson, chief executive at Cleveland Containers, explores the benefits of using containers to farm in limited spaces