British Berry Growers joins £7.1m robotics investment

October 11, 2026 - 23:26

British Berry Growers has announced its participation in a 7.1 million pound robotics initiative aimed at transforming how soft fruit is cultivated and harvested. The organization will collaborate with the University of Lincoln's HARVEST robotics adoption hub, a project designed to bring automated technologies from the laboratory into working fields.

The partnership will focus on testing and refining robotic systems under real growing conditions. This approach allows engineers and growers to identify practical problems early and adjust designs before large scale deployment. By working directly with producers, the hub hopes to remove common barriers that have slowed the adoption of automation across the sector.

Labor shortages and rising costs have placed increasing pressure on berry farms in recent years. Robotics offers a potential path toward greater productivity and resilience, particularly for delicate crops that still rely heavily on manual picking. The HARVEST hub will examine how machines can handle tasks such as fruit detection, selective harvesting, and crop monitoring without damaging produce.

British Berry Growers represents a significant portion of the country's soft fruit industry. Its involvement signals a growing willingness among producers to embrace new technology and to shape its development around their actual needs. The group will provide access to commercial farms, giving researchers valuable data and feedback.

The investment reflects broader efforts to strengthen domestic food production. If successful, the project could help secure the long term future of British berry farming by making it more efficient and less dependent on seasonal labor.