Arugga AI Farming, an Israeli-based agricultural technology company, is set to deploy its advanced pollination robots in Finland through a partnership with Agrifutura Oy, the producer of the popular tomato brand Nams. The collaboration aims to enhance pollination efficiency and increase winter production in Agrifutura’s greenhouses.
In Finland, the long and dark winter days pose challenges for natural pollination by bees. As a result, manual pollination becomes necessary but is both costly and less efficient compared to natural pollination during the summer months.
Additionally, concerns about bees spreading viruses further underscore the need for alternative pollination solutions.
Sebastian Anttila, the founder and CEO of Agrifutura, recognizes the significance of quality pollination in producing healthy and high-quality tomatoes. He explains, “When I came across Arugga’s solution, I knew that it would bring a great increase in winter production when the prices are the highest, thus providing a potentially extremely rapid ROI.”
Arugga’s pollination robots offer a promising solution. By employing advanced robotics and artificial intelligence, the robots can efficiently pollinate plants in greenhouses.
The robots have the ability to monitor and assess each individual plant, providing valuable data for yield prediction and pest and disease detection. This comprehensive plant-level analysis is expected to revolutionize the way growers make critical assessments and optimize their agricultural practices.
Eytan Heller, Arugga’s VP of Business Development, expresses enthusiasm about entering the Finnish market and collaborating with Agrifutura. “Following our successful launch and growth in Australia and the US, we are glad to be setting foot in our first European country, and the beautiful setting of northwest Finland is a great place to start,” he says.
The implementation of Arugga’s pollination robots is expected to not only increase yields for Agrifutura, but also contribute to their sustainability commitments.
By maximizing yields within the same surface area, the partnership aims to promote efficient resource utilization and facilitate investments in the agriculture sector.
As the collaboration progresses, Arugga plans to provide growers with valuable data metrics, enabling them to improve yield prediction and effectively detect pests and diseases.
By offering insights based on data collected from every plant, rather than relying on traditional sampling methods, growers can make more informed decisions and enhance their overall crop management practices.
The deployment of pollination robots in Finland marks a significant step forward in the integration of high-tech solutions in agriculture.
As the industry continues to embrace innovative technologies, such as advanced robotics and artificial intelligence, the potential for increased efficiency, sustainability, and productivity becomes increasingly evident.
