Finnish greenhouse fully transitions to robotic pollination

Arugga AI Farming has reached a groundbreaking milestone by converting Agrifutura's 4.6-hectare greenhouse into the world's first facility to fully utilize robotic pollination technology. <

"We initially deployed Polly over a single hectare last winter. The immediate improvement in pollination quality was evident. Encouraged by the consistently positive results, we expanded Polly's role quarterly, ultimately replacing traditional bee pollination", says Sebastian Anttila, CEO of the Finnish greenhouse company Agrifutura. Polly is the robotic platform developed by Arugga AI, a robot successfully replicating buzz pollination.

The Agrifutura greenhouse in Pori, Finland'

Increased yield and efficiency
Sebastian says the company set ambitious targets over various seasons and years. "With Polly, we've observed a 10% increase in yield compared to our previous reliance on bees. In Finland's unique conditions—longer dark days and the need for artificial lighting—bumblebees often underperform and require constant management. Polly has proven to be a game-changer."

Eytan Heller, VP of Business Development at Arugga, adds, "The Agrifutura team's rapid adoption of Polly has not only improved pollination quality but also streamlined logistics. Our team is committed to enhancing pollination speed and providing top-notch tech support, both crucial for our continued growth."

Polly at work inside the Agrifutura Greenhouse

Sebastian is optimistic about the future, stating, "Robots are undoubtedly the future of greenhouse farming. We've also had successful trials with Arugga's pest detection technology and are planning to implement their plant-lowering robot early next year."

Eytan concludes, "Addressing labor shortages, boosting yields, and enhancing monitoring capabilities are central to our mission. We aim to offer our clients a multifaceted robotic solution for a more profitable operation."