How quickly do you see robots taking over a significant amount of tasks on the farm? There are so many different factors to fresh produce that make it hard for automation, because robots can easily damage the products. But we’ve done a lot of things to help workers and make their job easier. We think it’s going to take five to 10 more years for that sort of innovation, but if we don’t have it done in 30 years we’re going to be in trouble. What technologies or shifts do you think will define the industry over the next decade? I think artificial intelligence will have a big influence on us in the future. It will probably allow us to predict and understand consumption patterns and consumer habits. It will pick the information up and say: ‘Here are the trends. Here’s the adaptation you need to make to be able to deal with those trends.’ That’s where I think it’s really going to help us. Maybe grocery stores will be able to use it to somehow boost sales of fruit and vegetables. And as for other shifts, the world is becoming a smaller place, and so you have to adapt and make sure that you have all products available in all locations. So that’s an opportunity, and at the same time it’s a challenge. I think consumer tastes are changing towards tastier and more convenient products. And hopefully it will boost con- sumption. That’s the really exciting part of this industry — we provide great, fresh, healthy products to the world.
Oppy’s San Joaquin Valley vineyards
water and eliminates the need for pesticides and human touch until harvest. In California, we’re elevating straw- berries using trays positioned at waist height and shel- tered with plastic hoops. This design protects the berries from adverse weather and offers ergonomic benefits for harvesters. Our goal is always to combine innovation with efficiency and sustainability. We’ve tested lots of robots on apple orchards with cameras to detect the color and size of the fruit.
What do you think needs to be done to really move the needle on consumption?
52 Vision Magazine
October/November 2023
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