Agricultural Robots: Development Trends drive Market Growth

By Akhil Nair

Agricultural technologies are evolving rapidly in terms of automation, the use of advanced robots, and enhanced food production. Additionally, with the declining number of agricultural laborers, the increasing need for high productivity in farm areas, and the surging population, agricultural robots are increasingly preferred globally.

Agricultural robots aid in increasing the production yields for farmers in several ways. These are also termed Ag robots and help address labor shortages in agriculture and aid in better time management for farmers. According to Inkwood Research, the global agricultural robots market is expected to register a CAGR of 19.63% during the forecast period, 2022-2030. This growth is due to the diverse usage of agricultural robots across food production, animal management, cultivation, and milking. However, the high expenses involved in automation and robot maintenance are expected to hinder the market growth.

Top Trends Shaping the Agricultural Robots Market Prospects

• Incorporation of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly gaining momentum in diverse fields, including agriculture. The technology enables robots to perform tasks done by humans. The AI applications in agriculture have resulted in the development of tools and applications that guide farmers in timely harvesting, nutrition management, pest attacks, types of crops grown, optimum planting, crop rotation, water management, etc.

Further, companies are manufacturing robots that can multi-task in farming fields. Such robots are trained to rapidly harvest crops with higher volumes and control weeds, determine the crop quality, detect weeds, and pack & pick crops. They further help in tackling challenges faced by laborers.

Additionally, AI in agriculture is helping farmers automate their farming and facilitating precise cultivation for high crop yield and high quality using few resources. Accordingly, the market players are launching several AI-based products and services. For instance, Ecorobotix is introducing ‘AVO,’ a self-navigating machine used for spraying purposes. Further, Lely Deere & Company’s ‘See and Spray’ aids in the spraying process.

• Growing Food Demand

The growing population and the increased need for food are important trends defining the agriculture sector. According to the United Nations, the global population is estimated to increase from 7.7 billion to 9.7 billion in 2050. Consequently, there is a need for more labor, creating a shortage of skilled laborers. Therefore, there is a rising inclination toward robotic machines to accomplish all the tasks done by humans. Therefore, technology-based companies are developing robotic machines that address labor shortage problems and perform tasks like spraying, crop monitoring, seeding, etc.

• Conducive Segments

The global agricultural robots market scope includes application and type. The applications include crop production, dairy and livestock management, and harvest management.

Harvest management harbored the largest share of 35.46% in 2021

In harvest management, the accuracy and speed of the robots can facilitate more yields and reduce crop wastage. The growing labor costs is raising the adoption of automated harvesting system.

North America and Asia-Pacific are the lucrative regions in the global market

North America is the largest region in the market, with a 35.94% revenue share in 2021. The market prospects are attributed to the rising labor shortage and the increasing labor costs.

Whereas Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region with a CAGR of 20.26%. This is accredited to the trend of implementing drones for higher productivity and the rising awareness of crop scouting and field mapping.

Competitive Insights

The global agricultural robots market encompasses several key players prioritizing partnerships and collaborations. This is to create interest and awareness with regard to the agriculture sector in terms of career and technology prospects. Additionally, companies invest in technologies to launch innovative products that ease farming.

In this regard, the key market players are Ecorobotix, Deere & Company, CNH Industrial, BouMatic Robotics BV, Harvest Automation, etc. Ecrobotix offers lightweight GPS that uses its complex camera system to target and spray weeds. While BouMatic Robotics BV introduced ‘Gemini,’ a milking robot, in May 2020.

Our Experts’ Take

According to our industry experts, there will be increased demand for autonomous technologies in the agricultural sector. This is due to the growing need for automated machines. Robots in agriculture can minimize human dependency significantly. Furthermore, they will enhance the efficiency levels substantially with holistic farming approaches like machine learning and artificial intelligence. Such developments will propel the global agricultural robots market prospects.

In addition, several new manufacturers are expected to enter the market, offering platform-centric software solutions for production applications. Moreover, there will be increased prioritization of innovations and technological advancements to lower operational costs and reduce complexity. At the same time, agricultural robots need a great amount of research and development, thereby requiring huge investments.