Asparagus harvesting robot tested in the UK

British agri-tech start-up Muddy Machines has successfully completed field trials of its prototype robotic harvester Sprout.

Muddy Machines has been working with Herefordshire asparagus grower Cobrey Farms for the past year to test and develop Sprout on-farm.

The Sprout uses deep learning technology to detect and pick asparagus spears to growers’ specifications, and is also lightweight and fully electric. According to the manufacturer, this will help avoid harmful soil compaction and enable a green, sustainable and resilient future for British horticulture.

Farms like Cobrey need a large amount of seasonal labour for a variety of tasks, particularly weeding and harvesting. The team said asparagus is one of the most labour-intensive crops, with harvesting occurring daily over the 12-week season.

Muddy Machines added that other companies have largely ignored asparagus because it is a relatively low-volume crop in its own right. However, the company wanted to start with the crop best suited for robotic harvesting before developing harvesters capable of harvesting more challenging crops.

Founded in June 2020 with the goal of finding a solution to help growers with labor supply challenges, Muddy Machines is now seeking additional funding to bring its first batch of robots to market in 2022.

The robotics startup is backed by Britbots, Robotic Ventures and Entrepreneur First, and has also been awarded several Innovate UK grants and accelerator funding.

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