Robots to the rescue for B.C. strawberry farmers amid labour shortage

This tech start-up is using strawberry harvesting as a seeding ground for testing “intelligent” arms.

The ancient Romans were on to something when they first cultivated strawberries, the heart-shaped fruit that’s come to be associated with love and the goddess Venus. And while Valentine’s Day may be a busy time for some retailers selling the so-called “love fruit” in chocolate-dipped form, it’s an ordinary day for B.C. growers who, amid rising wages and a dwindling worker pool, are bracing for another heartbreaking season.

“We left about 15 per cent of our product on the field because we didn’t have enough labour to finish the harvest,” said Alf Krause, owner-operator of Krause Berry Farms and Estate Winery in Langley, B.C. “Wages have gone up consistently over the last five years by ten to fifteen per cent [and] we’re not sure where we’re supposed to find that money.”

Krause, who harvests strawberries, blueberries and raspberries across his 200-acre farm, employs 20 workers in the off-season and up to 200 in the summer peak. He stays competitive throughout the year by operating a winery, market, bakery, and waffle bar. He said he consistently experiences a 20 per cent labour shortage.

That’s where B.C.-based tech start-up, Neupeak Robotics hopes to lend a mechanical hand. The company co-founded by Anshul Porwal is using strawberry harvesting as a seeding ground for testing “intelligent” arms capable of nestling through bushy leaves, spotting the red flesh and quickly plucking the berries – all with the calyx intact.

He recalls cold calling 25 farmers to discuss the viability of the idea after hearing predictions that the industry is five to ten years away from becoming unviable in North America if minimum wages kept rising.

“They wanted me to come over the next day with robots that can be put to work,” he said. “You can see how desperate these farmers are.”