Global Harvesting Robots Market - 2023-2030

Overview

Global Harvesting Robots Market reached US$ 1.32 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach US$ 3.33 billion by 2030, growing with a CAGR of 12.25% during the forecast period 2023-2030.

Escalating labor costs and shortages in the agricultural sector worldwide are driving the need for automation, making harvesting robots an attractive solution to offset these challenges. Continuous advancements in robotics, AI, machine learning, and sensor technologies are enhancing the capabilities of harvesting robots.

These improvements result in more efficient, precise, and adaptable machines capable of handling various crops and terrains. In August 2023, Wootzano Ltd., a company in the post-harvest sector of robotics announced the official opening of its US operations, with the first Avarai robotic system active.

Fruit Harvesting Robots account for over half of the market share due to the labor-intensive nature of fruit picking. Similarly, North America dominates the Harvesting Robots market, capturing the largest market share. In February 2023, Advanced Farm Technologies Inc., a firm that develops autonomous fruit-picking robots, declared that it is expanding more barns and manufacturing space to build its equipment. The company began with a third of a barn on agricultural property just south of Davis, California.

Dynamics

Rising Labor Shortage in the Agricultural Field

The labor shortage in the agricultural sector has long been a problem because of several issues, such as migration from rural to urban areas, and aging labor pools. According to the World Bank, in 2022, employment in agriculture was 27% of the total employment, whereas in 2021, it declined to 26%. To reduce the industry's reliance on manual labor, there is a growing interest in automation and robotics due to the shortage of workers for important operations like harvesting.

These robots offer numerous advantages over human labor. They can work tirelessly without breaks, reducing harvesting time significantly and potentially increasing overall efficiency. Additionally, they can operate in various weather conditions and can be more precise in identifying ripe produce, leading to less waste and higher-quality yields.

Increasing Adoption of Automation in the Agriculture Sector

The increasing adoption of automation inside the agricultural sector is a great catalyst propelling the increase of the harvesting robotic market. The continuous advancements in technology, especially in robotics, artificial intelligence, and system mastering, have made harvesting robots greater efficient, particular, and adaptable.

These advancements have enabled robots to carry out complex tasks previously reliant on human ability and decision-making skills. In January 2023, AGRIST, a Japanese agri-tech startup, unveiled an intelligence-powered harvesting robot at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. With millimeter accuracy, the new robot "L" selects peppers that are ripe for harvesting through layers of foliage.

High Cost Associated With Harvesting Robot

The high expense of harvesting robots continues to be a significant impediment to their broad use and market expansion in the agriculture industry. Even though these robots have many advantages, many farmers and agricultural enterprises find it difficult to afford the initial outlay needed to acquire, use, and maintain them. The initial cost required to purchase harvesting robots may be too much for small and medium-sized farms.

Development costs, research, and the incorporation of advanced features like AI-driven machine learning algorithms, specialized sensors, robust machinery, and precise manipulators significantly escalate the overall cost of these robots. Additionally, customization and adaptation of these robots for various crops and terrains add to their expense.

Segment Analysis

The global harvesting robots market is segmented based on type, operational capability, application, end-user and region.

Rising Demand for Automation in Fruit Harvesting

Fruit harvesting robots hold a significant share in the overall harvesting robot market. When harvesting, fruits frequently need to be handled carefully to preserve quality. Fruit harvesting robots can detect ripe fruits, evaluate their condition, and pick them precisely without damaging the produce since they are outfitted with sophisticated sensors and visual systems.

In November 2023, KUKA and the Upper Bavarian company Digital Workbench launched cooperation at Agritechnica, the world's premier agricultural trade show held in Hanover, Germany. The collaboration aims to provide a concrete product, a mobile harvesting robot that will aid fruit growers in the apple harvest.

Geographical Penetration

North America's Adoption of Advanced Agricultural Technology

North America has an incredibly advanced agricultural region that embraces technology upgrades, especially within the U.S. and Canada. Large-scale farming operations inside the region, especially in the fruit, vegetable, and row crop sectors, are driving demand for automated and efficient solutions, which include harvesting robots, to enhance productivity and manage labor shortages.

In November 2023, a $1.2 million National Science Foundation grant was given to WSU (Washington State University) researchers to increase the productivity of robotics used in automated apple harvesting. Researchers are working on a straightforward, inexpensive robot system with a fabric arm and a soft body. The design is intended to delicately harvest apples without endangering the trees, while also allowing the robot to respond quickly.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

The market for harvesting robots was greatly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Travel restrictions, social distancing measures, and worker safety concerns caused labor shortages in the agricultural industries as the virus spread over the world. This situation brought to light the weaknesses of conventional farming methods that mostly rely on physical labor. As a result, demand for harvesting robots increased dramatically.

But even with the increased demand, the pandemic presented challenges for the market for harvesting robots. Economic uncertainty combined with disruptions in the supply chains for necessary materials and components impacted manufacturing schedules and prevented certain robot manufacturers from increasing their production volumes. The production and deployment processes' temporary halt to expansion hindered the market's development. Furthermore, many agricultural firms experienced financial difficulties as a result of the economic depression brought on by the pandemic.

Russia-Ukraine War Impact Analysis

The war between Russia and Ukraine affected the market for harvesting robots in several ways. Globally, the violence and geopolitical tensions in the area had an impact on some industries, including technology and agriculture, as well as the global economy.

Economic instability was caused by geopolitical tensions. Trade disruptions, a decline in investor confidence, and currency value swings could have all resulted from uncertainty in the area. Potential investments in cutting-edge technologies like harvesting robots were discouraged by this economic volatility since companies had more hesitant to commit capital to such projects during shaky times.

By Type

• Fruit Harvesting Robots
• Vegetable Harvesting Robots
• Grain Harvesting Robots
• Others

By Operational Capability

• Semi-Autonomous
• Fully-Autonomous

By Application

• Field Crop
• Orchards
• Vineyards
• Greenhouse

By End-User

• Farmers/Individuals
• Large-Scale Commercial Farms

By Region

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Italy
  • Russia
  • Rest of Europe
• South America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Rest of South America
• Asia-Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
• Middle East and Africa

Key Developments

• In August 2023, Fieldwork Robotics, Developers of harvesting robots, announced it has received €1.7 million from Elbow Beach Capital, an investor in social impact, sustainability, and decarbonization to bring its AI-supported, raspberry-harvesting robot Alpha to forward-thinking farms.
• In April 2021, Tortuga, a startup in harvest automation revealed that it has raised $20 million in Series, funding to construct hundreds of robots.
• In November 2021, Iron Ox, a autonomous farm, declared the launch of its mobile support robot named Grover. Iron Ox claims that Grover is capable of lifting over a thousand pounds and helps with crop monitoring, watering, and harvesting, covering everything from strawberries to leafy greens.

Competitive Landscape

The major global players in the market include Agrobot, Dogtooth Technologies Limited, Panasonic Holdings Corporation, Certhon, Harvest CROO Robotics LLC, TORTUGA AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC, Harvest Automation, OCTINION, MetoMotion, Advanced Farms Technologies, Inc.

Why Purchase the Report?

• To visualize the global harvesting robots market segmentation based on type, operational capability, application, end-user and region, as well as understand key commercial assets and players.
• Identify commercial opportunities by analyzing trends and co-development.
• Excel data sheet with numerous data points of harvesting robots market-level with all segments.
• PDF report consists of a comprehensive analysis after exhaustive qualitative interviews and an in-depth study.
• Product mapping available as Excel consisting of key products of all the major players.

The global Harvesting Robots market report would provide approximately 61 tables, 58 figures and 201 Pages.

Target Audience 2023

• Manufacturers/ Buyers
• Industry Investors/Investment Bankers
• Research Professionals
• Emerging Companies