Fruit and Horticulture: Automation and Robotics
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of agricultural automation technologies on the future resilience of the fruit and horticulture sector.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The Government recognises that accelerating the application of automation in horticulture is key to delivering growth, sustainability and resilience. Increasing the application of automation in priority farming sectors such as horticulture is a key objective for Agri-Tech within the Government’s Industrial Strategy Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan. Automation would also have the potential to reduce (though not eliminate) reliance on seasonal migrant labour. As part of the Industrial Strategy, this Government has allocated at least £200 million to the Farming Innovation Programme until 2030, which will continue to enable agri-tech innovation and growth. This includes research and development into the applications of automation in the horticulture sector.
Defra has reviewed the role of automation in horticulture. It found that a range of new innovations and technologies, including automation, could boost productivity and resilience, but barriers like cost and access to funding remain.
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