July 2, 2024

Fruit Picking Robots Market to Propelled by Advancements in Computer Vision and IoT Technology

Fruit picking robots utilize advanced computer vision and robotic manipulation technologies to automate the picking of various fruits and vegetables. They can detect ripe fruits faster and more accurately than humans and pick them carefully without damaging the fruits or plants. This helps reduce costs and improve efficiency for farmers. The global demand for fruits and vegetables is rising rapidly owing to the growing population and changing dietary patterns. At the same time, labor costs are steadily increasing. Fruit picking robots address both these issues by providing an efficient and cost-effective alternative to manual labor.

The Fruit Picking Robots Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 838.74 billion in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 40% over the forecast period 2024 to 2031.

Key Takeaways

Key players operating in the Fruit Picking Robots market are Abbott Laboratories (US), Medtronic PLC (Ireland), DexCom, Inc. (US), iRhythm Technologies, Inc. (US), and Texas Instruments Inc. (US). These players are focusing on developing advanced computer vision and robotic manipulation technologies to make fruit picking robots smarter, faster, and more versatile.

The key opportunities in the market include the deployment of Fruit Picking Robots Market Size  in developing countries where labor shortages are more acute. Also, integrating drones and AI capabilities can help robots monitor crop growth remotely and act autonomously based on analysis of images and data.

Technological advancements like deep learning, computer vision, swarm robotics, and 5G will play a major role in enhancing fruit picking robots. Deep learning helps train robots to identify fruits more accurately. Computer vision enables precise localization and grasping. Swarm robotics and 5G enable coordination between multiple robots for large-scale harvesting operations.

Market Drivers

Rising labor costs for agriculture is a major driver for fruit picking robots. As wages increase globally, manual fruit harvesting becomes costlier. Farmers are increasingly adopting fruit picking robots as they provide 24/7 harvesting capabilities without additional labor costs.

The need for optimized crop management and maximizing yields is another key driver. Fruit picking robots can harvest crops much faster than humans and also monitor crop growth to optimize irrigation, fertilizing and other management practices. This helps farmers boost productivity and crop yields significantly.

Current challenges in Fruit Picking Robots Market:

The fruit picking robots market is still in a nascent stage of development and faces many technical challenges. The accuracy and flexibility of fruit detection capabilities needs significant improvement. Developing robots that can identify ripe fruits without any damage and pick them gently is a major roadblock. Complex orchard structures with varying tree sizes also pose navigational difficulties for robots. Integration of different technologies like computer vision, sensors and mechanical arm coordination is challenging. High initial investment costs and shorter payback periods also restrain faster adoption of these robots.

SWOT Analysis
Strength: Fruit picking robots offer improved efficiency and consistency compared to manual labor. They can pick fruits 24/7 without getting tired.
Weakness: High upfront costs, technical difficulties in developing dexterous grasping and careful harvesting abilities.
Opportunity: Growing labor shortage globally in agriculture sector. Increasing demand for automation to reduce production costs.
Threats: Resistance from workers unions about large scale job losses. Concerns over heavy reliance on imported technology components.

North America accounts for the largest share in the fruit picking robots market in terms of value currently, due to high labor costs and rapid technology adoption rates. China is expected to be the fastest growing regional market between 2024-2031 with over 50% CAGR driven by shortage of farm workers and government support for automation.

In terms of value, Europe and Asia Pacific collectively hold over 60% share currently led by countries like Japan, South Korea, India, Australia which are experiencing high labor costs and aging populations. Middle East and Africa is a relatively untapped emerging market for fruit picking robots at present.

*Note:
1.Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2.We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it