Technology news from Produce Plus
Technology news stories with a direct relevance to the fresh produce business in Australia and New Zealand, including updates on production and harvesting systems, sorting and grading machinery, packaging, coldstorage and controlled atmosphere, digital management, robots and automation, vertical farming, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
Australian avocado industry launches in-store ripeness scanner trial
Ripeness scanner developed by Dutch agri-tech company OneThird uses near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to rapidly and non-destructively assess avocado firmness
Tropic secures US$105mn to scale gene-edited banana production
Company plans to scale production of climate-resilient and non-browning varieties, with commercial launches due in 2027
Lineage secures export accreditation for South Australian cold storage facility
Exporters receive a shorter route to market after state gains first DAFF-accredited facility
Unlocking trade intelligence for Australian horticulture
Investment into high quality trade data to empower decision-making for industry
Hort Innovation Frontiers reveals first Incubate cohort for 2026
A group of 16 innovators will receive hands-on guidance to help make their concepts commercially viable
Agrifood leaders gather at evokeAG 2026 to shape the future of farming
EvokeAG’s largest iteration draws in visitors, tech start-ups, and speakers from across Australia and the world
New Zealand’s Agovor completes funding round for autonomous robots
Investment will accelerate manufacturing in Australia, and expand Agovor’s sales and service infrastructure across Australasia
Kalfresh secures A$80mn investment for bioenergy facility
Queensland vegetable grower to lead development of food and energy precinct
Coles Nurture Fund application deadline nears
Fund provides grants for innovative and sustainable projects
West Australian technology trial supports narrow orchard systems research
Tree management platform to aid harvest and orchard management
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Inviol tackles fresh produce packhouse safety with AI
New Zealand-based start-up uses artificial intelligence to turn CCTV into a live workplace safety tool for fresh produce businesses.
OSY Group partners with Multisteps for Australian expansion
The collaboration will see OSY Group’s shelf-life extending technology applied to fresh fruit and vegetable packaging in Australia
Mildura’s Minter Magic embraces technology to compete on global stage
John Deere’s GPS technology and AutoTrac technology help Australian citrus, almond and asparagus grower to improve its business
Perfection Fresh and Opal trial new mango multipack packaging
Kerbside recyclable cardboard packaging meets sustainability and convenience needs
Protected Cropping Centre for Mild Winter Climates launched at Gatton AgTech Showcase
Research centre features Cravo retractable roof technology and will facilitate insights for growers
Protected Cropping Australia welcomes Michael Simonetta and Ben Hoodless to board
Appointments signal new era for organisation as it guides industry through period of rapid change
Next generation weed management takes centre stage at Gatton AgTech Showcase
Australia’s horticulture industry is set to benefit from a major innovation in weed management, announced at the Gatton AgTech Showcase.
Ultraviolet light helps growers put fungicides to bed in new R&D project
Hort Innovation project to validate the effectiveness of UV-C light treatment for powdery mildew
Coming soon: Produce Plus Summer
As the weather warms up, Produce Plus takes a look at summer favourites, including spotlights on the mango, stonefruit, cherry and table grape categories as they vie for attention over the holiday period.
Boratto Farms leverages AI for leafy green quality assessment with GoMicro
AI-powered technology can assess quality of spinach, lettuce, rocket, chard, and red butter leaves on conveyor belts with expert-level accuracy