On 11 July 2024, the VegMech team hosted the first in a series of webinars with 117 participants from Australia and abroad. The event featured contributions from Australian growers and technology manufacturers, including Ecorobotix, NaÏo Technologies, and Verdant Robotics. The webinar focused on the need for cost-effective solutions to address rising labour and input costs, as well as the potential for automated and mechanised agtech in vegetable farming.

Key takeaways:

• Australian vegetable growers are facing high labour costs and are seeking robotics and automation as potential solutions.
• There is significant global interest in agricultural technology, with promising innovations from other countries that could be viable for Australian growers.

Watch a recording of the webinar here: “Addressing cost challenges for Australian vegetables through Field Mechanisation and Automation”