Hort Innovation is investing more than A$220 million in cutting-edge automation and AI technologies to boost productivity and reduce labour shortages in Australia’s nut sector, with plans to extend these innovations across horticulture nationally.
Hort Innovation, the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation supporting Australia’s horticultural sector, has made a substantial commitment to enhancing productivity with an investment exceeding A$220 million. This funding is directed towards a diverse range of initiatives, including automation, artificial intelligence (AI), on-farm management, data collection, and advanced business analysis, aimed at modernising industry practices and increasing operational efficiency.
A standout project within this investment focuses on introducing precision autonomy to the horticultural industry, particularly targeting Australia’s nut sector—almond, macadamia, and pistachio growers. In partnership with US agtech leader Bluewhite, the initiative aims to retrofit existing tractors with cutting-edge technology to convert them into fully autonomous machines. This development allows a single operator to remotely manage multiple tractors simultaneously via mobile, desktop, or tablet devices, enabling continuous, round-the-clock agricultural operations with minimal human intervention. Such innovation is expected to significantly reduce labour costs while increasing productivity.
Hort Innovation CEO Brett Fifield emphasised the urgency of this technology given the sector’s current reliance on seasonal labour, which has become increasingly strained due to tighter labour program regulations and difficulty in finding reliable workers. The new autonomous systems already see successful deployment in similar agricultural sectors across the United States, delivering benefits such as higher productivity rates, improved consistency of crops, and a reduction in human error and fatigue. Fifield expressed optimism that, following extensive consultation with growers and rigorous technology trials, Australian nut producers could experience similar gains.
Beyond improving labour efficiency, the AI-driven platform integrated into these autonomous systems also offers real-time data collection and analytics capabilities. This empowers growers with data-driven insights, enabling them to make informed decisions about crop management strategies. Additionally, the automation reduces worker exposure to hazardous tasks, chemicals, and extreme environmental conditions—key risks traditionally associated with orchard work—thereby enhancing workplace safety.
The investment aligns with broader industry aims identified in a report by Hort Innovation and the Centre for International Economics, which highlights the vast potential for productivity improvements in Australian horticulture. The report projects that high adoption rates of productivity-enhancing innovations could generate approximately A$1 billion in annual benefits for the industry, potentially reaching A$22 billion by 2040. Four critical areas have been earmarked to accelerate productivity: enhanced production cost analysis capabilities, automated data collection, utilisation of AI insights, and large-scale mechanisation and automation adoption.
Overall, this $220 million investment serves as a critical stepping stone toward transforming Australian horticulture through the adoption of advanced technology. It complements Hort Innovation’s broader strategic vision, which includes a recent announcement of a further A$500 million goal for the Frontiers program over the next decade. The Frontiers initiative aims to attract new investors and innovation streams in areas such as Healthy Living, Adaptation and Resilience, Market Growth and Security, Disruptive Technologies, and Capability Building.
While the immediate focus is on nut production, the potential for scaling these autonomous technologies to other horticultural sectors could reshape farming practices nationally, making the industry more resilient, efficient, and competitive in the long term.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Subscribe to Industry Updates
