CNH invests in Advanced Farm Technologies to expand high-tech harvesting stake

CNH partners with California-based start-up Advanced Farming Technologies to drive industry and ecosystem innovation by collaborating across R&D and commercialisation

The advanced farm BetterPick robotic harvester picks fruit at night. (Image source: CNH)

With a minority investment in the start-up specialising in the robotic harvesting of apples, strawberries and other fruits, CNH continues to support the acceleration of smart harvesting technologies. A continued downward trend in handpicking workforce availability exacerbates high labour costs. Shifting to robotic picking therefore shows great potential in significantly improving fruit farmers’ productivity by harvesting high value crops up to five times more efficiently.

Advanced Farm Technologies' system comprises a number of key features including robotic arms with gentle grippers, a serial-hybrid drive system, autonomous navigation and automated bin handling. By using computer vision and a machine learning tech stack, the system picks the best fruit, either during the day or at night, while gently handling it to avoid bruising and damage. This automated platform also eliminates the need to carry a ladder from tree to tree – vastly reducing the strain of a repetitive and arduous task.

For more information, visit: https://media.cnhindustrial.com/EMEA