An assessment of current access to and future aspirations for automation and robotics in UK horticulture, 2017 and updated in 2021

• 2017 Survey highlights

  • The UK horticultural industry is highly automated with most growing tasks utilising automation where it is available, robotics are not widely used.
  • Over 84% of growers surveyed were planning to invest further in automation or robotics and a similar number are actively searching for solutions suitable for their businesses.
  • Automated harvesting and application of crop protection controls were the priority topics for research.

  2021 survey highlights

  • UK growers want to invest in automation and robotics, the main drivers being the cost and availability of labour
  • The biggest barrier to investment is the lack of equipment or technologies, where there is automation and robotics available, the biggest barrier to investment is cost

To produce a report of current and potential implementation of automation and robotics across the UK horticultural industry in the 2017 survey and update on these in 2021.  The report is based on data collection from telephone interviews with 50 growers, who were chosen to represent the diversity of horticultural sectors and holdings of different sizes. Data is also presented from an on-line survey which was open to all growers.