Technology and artificial intelligence to protect, market and reduce waste
This year, events, forums and even Fruit Logistica 2025 focused on the potential of new technologies – including artificial intelligence (AI) – and how to use them at different stages of the fruit and vegetable industry.
In Berlin, Aglife Media, Inc. founder and host of The Produce Industry Podcast, Patrick Kelly, along with American Crown Global Corporation/UGBP USA’s Head of International Fruit Trade, Federico Tavares, discussed how digital technologies and tools play a crucial role throughout the supply chain.
During his session at the Fresh Produce Forum, Kelly stated that digital innovations are redefining the supply chain and spoke about how the digital world is changing communication, marketing and advertising, urging the sector to think outside the box and use all the means at its disposal to reach different markets.
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He said the expansion of technology makes us all “more than just a dot in the huge global mass along the supply chain. You determine how you tell your brand story. Show where you come from, who you are and what your vision is for the future.”
He said brands should not completely discard traditional print media, but should certainly use it for unique campaigns and designs, in combination with social media and video.
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Tavares also provided examples from everyday life along the supply chain, asking Brazilian producers: “How would you like digitalization to help you?” Many said they would love to find a solution to the lack of transparency and ineffective communication between suppliers and customers.
To address the data management problem, he said using the Observatory of Economic Complexity’s (OEC) data platform for international trade data has helped with targeted planning, identifying sales markets and transportation issues. He noted that this digital program could be useful for many suppliers and producers as well.
Tavares also cited other digital tools. For example, Brazilian papaya producers use a management and control system to track each fruit from harvest to final delivery.
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Artificial intelligence to sustainably control insect pests
Also present in Berlin was the scientist and entomologist Silvia Schmidt, who spoke about how sensor traps and AI can make the use of insecticides more efficient and sustainable.
During her session, Schmidt presented biological methods for controlling harmful organisms at the Fruit Logistica Future Lab. As head of the working group “Biological methods of plant protection”, she coordinates a project to develop smart traps.
In recent years, several prototypes of traps and pest monitoring data have been developed.
Slovenian company EFOS has presented its Trapview platform, an AI-based data trap that helps customers gain an accurate and timely understanding of pest population dynamics and a forecast of pest development stages in a given area. The platform is used to monitor more than 60 insect species worldwide.
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Using such tools could lead to a reduction in synthetic insecticides, increased efficiency through the use of perfect timing and advanced data processing.
Currently, insect identification and capture is carried out by human personnel through costly and time-consuming field visits, but with the help of high-resolution images on traps, real-time tracking and species identification and counting, it can efficient a lot of work.
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“Knowing the perfect timing for treatment could minimise crop losses, reduce chemical residues in produce, cut production costs, CO2 emissions and overall costs through pest control and prevention measures,” Schmidt said.
“AI in agriculture is not just about increasing yields. It is about making agriculture more sustainable and efficient for future generations,” he said.
Bees and drones
Precision pollination provider Beehero manages more than 300,000 hives worldwide and collects 25 million pieces of data a day. According to the brand’s vice president, Eytan Schwartz, its “IoT sensors in the honeycombs translate the buzzing of the bees into information, like Google Translate, so we can see what’s happening in the hives.”
The vice president said the Pollination Insight Platform (PIP) data platform also makes it possible to monitor bee activity directly in the field and see where and what the bees are actually pollinating.
Source: www.portalfruticola.com
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