Research Funding Allows B-hive To Deliver Deeper Insights For Apple Growers
- In the press
- Project Updates
Agri-Tech business B-hive Innovations has joined forces with UK premier fresh fruit grower Adrian Scripps Ltd to attract prestigious Innovate UK research funding to accelerate agricultural innovation.
The groundbreaking twelve-month project will allow apple growers to access greater insights into the size, count and variability of their fresh produce at the point of harvest, allowing data-driven decision on crop usage.
The research team will be significantly extending the capabilities of B-hive’s flagship technology HarvestEye, which already provides crop-level sizing insights to potato and onion farmers.
The project will be co-led by machine-learning team leader at B-hive, Dr Mercedes Torres Torres, and James Simpson Managing Director at Adrian Scripps, with preliminary work already underway to test a range of produce varieties and soil conditions.
Mercedes said: “At B-hive, our objective is simple – to empower growers with the tools they need to deliver long-term, sustainable growth by increasing marketable yields and reducing waste. This has been proven for a number of years now with potato growers, who trust our technologies to deliver better forecasting of their root crops.
“It is exciting to be expanding the technology to operate with other fresh produce. This doesn’t come without its challenges, and we’ll need to undertake some modification to both the hardware and software of the system to ensure it is accurately producing the results we require for the world of fresh produce.
James Simpson said “We desperately need clear, consistent information on the size and count of our apple crop as early as possible after harvest to allow us to meet the demands of retailers, who typically use set packet sizes. We’re thrilled to be able to help develop technology that will revolutionalise our industry and are privileged to have the backing of Innovate UK in this year-long venture.”
B-hive plans to implement apples size and counting into HarvestEye by 2024’s harvest season, following the conclusion of the research programme.
“This research marks the next step in HarvestEye’s evolution, but also represents a significant move for B-hive into new sectors of the agricultural industry
Dr Andrew Gill, General Manager, B-hive Innovations. We’re incredibly excited about the future, as we begin to help even more fresh produce growers with their technological needs.”
HarvestEye is a patented technology that provides accurate insights on root crops during harvest, as the crop is lifted. Fitting onto existing harvesting and grading equipment, it gives valuable information to growers on the size and count of root crop, while also mapping variability, informing long-term sustainable planning.
The latest version, Harvest Eye 2.0, was unveiled at the start of the year at Fruit Logistica – operating with potatoes, sweet potatoes and onions. Subscription, rental and lease options are now available for packers, processors and seed growers.