The switch from human to robot is currently still taking small steps, but at Drenthe Growers on Erica, they are already working hard on the future. Inge Bergsma-De Vries tells RTV Drenthe. Among other things, she explains how the leaf-picking robot works. Several growers work with this robot from Lenzeel.
The robot drives along the long rows of cucumber plants and sucks the leaves off the plant. The robot ensures that eighty percent of the leaves are removed, without any human intervention. Inge: "It saves tremendously on personnel. To operate and maintain the robot, you only need one person, whereas that work would otherwise be done by ten staff members."
Even though the cucumber grower is on the right track, Inge thinks the technology will go one step further. "A robot should be in one place and the plants should come towards the robot," she shares with RTV Drenthe. Such a system, from Saia Robotics, is currently being tested in tomato cultivation.
Drenthe Growers received Minister van Hijum on a visit last week.
Photo: Kyra Broeders, Glastuinbouw Nederland
Index photo: archive image leaf-picking robot Lenzeel in cucumber cultivation