How technology is plugging the void to build resilient domestic food supply chains
First salad , now carrots and leeks :
How technology is plugging the void to build resilient domestic food supply chains
The president of the National Farmers ’ Union ( NFU ) has warned that the UK could face a heightened risk of vegetable shortages this year , as the domestic farming sector struggles to adapt to extreme weather and higher costs . While the UK will always need some food imports , the NFU has issued the stark warning that shortages could become more common if the government doesn ’ t act . Here , David Strain , technical director at integrated automation systems specialist , Technidrive , joins this debate .
As extreme weather events become more common , it ’ s imperative that we focus on building resilient domestic food supply . At Technidrive , we have long supplied integrated automation solutions to the farming sector . We ’ ve spoken to farmers directly who have reiterated that they are facing challenges related to cost and production feasibility .
The firm germinates and grow plants until they are large enough to handle . These plants are then distributed to farmers , who grow and sell them to supermarkets .
The economics for British growers are even less favourable this year due to ever-increasing energy prices . This has made heating greenhouses more expensive . In response , the NFU has launched a strategy designed to boost UK fruit and vegetable production and minimise future supply chain disruption .
The strategy sets out ten policies to enable long-term growth and ensure the ongoing fresh supply of produce on supermarket shelves . The plan calls for boosting of sustainable energy supplies , an improvement in access to skilled labour , investments in productivity and greater supply chain fairness .
One area that we ’ d particularly like to see focus on is technological investment to increase productivity in farming . We ’ re not suggesting that technology should replace governmental change . However , in an already challenging environment , could automation provide that much needed buffer ?
One area where automation is certainly making an impact is in combating the labour shortage . Farmers have long reported either high labour costs , or limited access to it altogether .
At Technidrive , we ’ ve witnessed first-hand how bespoke automation can increase efficiency gains . We worked with propagator firm , John Gabbie & Sons based in County Down , Northern Ireland , to develop an automated cart system .
John Gabbie & Sons has several greenhouses that are up to half an acre in size and split up into bays . These bays are up to ten metres wide and 16 metres long with walkways for forklifts and tractors . Before deploying automation , an operator needed to drive a tractor or a forklift along the pathway to move bays of plants through the greenhouses . The plants were then physically carried to the end of the bay to be boxed . As with many traditional farming practices , this process was labour intensive .
The automated cart system designed by Technidrive runs along railings in each walkway , removing the need for manual labour . Not only does this speed up the process , but it also reduces the space needed for each walkway , allowing the company to pack more product in the greenhouse .
While this is just one isolated example , by making technological investment more accessible to agricultural businesses , we can support long-term growth in our domestic food production sector . As extreme weather incidents increase , it ’ s even more important to make efficiency gains wherever possible . It ’ s clear that our empty supermarket shelves are only the tip of the iceberg .
For further information about Technidrive ’ s bespoke automation systems visit the website or talk to a specialist today .
www . technidrive . co . uk
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