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Wed, 30 Sep 2026

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 The AI telling farmers when to harvest

Will farmers want AI tools to help judge when to pick fruit, or is their own intuition enough?
The timing of apple harvests can be crucial for farmers. In Washington State, bad weather last year forced a premature halt to the harvest. To mitigate such risks, some farmers are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) models that forecast ideal harvest dates based on weather conditions. These AI models analyze historical data and take into account factors like temperature and precipitation to predict when fruit will be ripe. Okanagan Specialty Fruits has already begun experimenting with cameras from a Canadian firm called Vivid Machines that use AI to identify buds, flowers, or fruit in footage captured by the cameras. Another approach being explored is the use of millimeter waves to determine the ripeness of fruit. Researchers at Princeton University have developed a device that uses these high-frequency radio waves to penetrate deeper into the fruit and detect its moisture content, which can indicate ripeness. While some farmers are interested in adopting new technologies like AI and millimeter wave-based detectors, others may be hesitant due to concerns about cost and effectiveness. As one expert noted, "Adoption is very complicated" and requires a level of confidence in the research and technology. In addition to predicting when fruit will be ripe, these new technologies could also help farmers streamline their operations by providing more accurate data on crop yields and quality. However, some experts warn that relying too heavily on technology could lead to over-reliance on automation and decreased human involvement in decision-making processes.