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.
Video: Extreme weather cuts English pea harvest after strong start
Pea grower reports yields approximately 25 per cent below contracted tonnage following a challenging end to what had initially promised to be an exceptional season
OSY Group partners with Sharpak to extend soft fruit shelf-life
Food tech specialist OSY Group has announced a commercial partnership with packaging manufacturer Sharpak Aylesham to extend the shelf-life of soft fruits sold through UK supermarkets using innovative antimicrobial coating technology
Survey: AI and automation in fresh produce supply chains
Fruitnet reaches out to fruit and veg business professionals to investigate current and future impact of groundbreaking new technologies
Innovation on show at Fruit Focus
Strawberry picking robots, vertical farms and policy debates were on the agenda at annual industry fruit show along with findings from pollination and growing media trials
M&S uses AI and bumblebees to grow better strawberries
Retailer reveals pioneering, innovative approach to berry production that combines artificial intelligence with bumblebee pollination, with early trials showing promising results for fruit quality and consistency
Saga Robotics agrees collaboration with Bitwise and Chambers
The tie-up will offer enhanced services through the company’s Thorvald robot
Fruitnet Tomato Congress presents: The Future of Tomatoes
This year’s Fruitnet Tomato Congress takes place in Malaga, Spain, on 11-12 November, with industry experts set to explore how the business is likely to evolve in the coming years
Fera launches new wireworm DNA barcoding test
Wireworm damage has had a heavy cost for the potato, veg and salad sectors
‘Glastonbury’ of regen farming set to welcome thousands
No-till cultivation, integrating trees with veg production and food policy debates among the wide-ranging sessions relevant to fresh produce sector at Groundswell regen farming festival
Dyson’s ‘ferris-wheel’ growing system brings 250 per cent yield boost
The innovation is the latest technology incorporated into company’s Lincolnshire strawberry glasshouse
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DP World wins triple crown at 2025 Multimodal Awards
Global trade enabler DP World has achieved a triple win at the 2025 Multimodal Awards in Birmingham, securing the Port Company of the Year title for the third consecutive year alongside two additional prestigious industry recognitions
Adaption key to success as FPJ celebrates 130th year
Editor Fred Searle was joined by predecessors Michael Barker and Tommy Leighton on stage at Festival of Fresh to reflect on how the magazine has survived despite a tough publishing climate
UK agtech firm RootWave raises $15mn in funding
Firm’s electrical weed control is suitable for a range of horticultural and other crops
Defra budget cut by 2.7 per cent at Spending Review
AI, energy and R&D among the winners at Rachel Reeves’ Spending Review, while overall funding at Defra will be cut back
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