The three German and three Dutch partners will work together on product and prototype development for computer vision-based solutions for the greenhouse sector that enable operational optimisation. For example, greenhouse owners can use mobile cameras and autonomous drones to automate the counting and measuring of fruit and vegetables - two of the most time-consuming and complicated tasks at present. In addition, the innovations provide insight into the growth rate of fruit and vegetables in the greenhouse, allowing greenhouse owners to predict and even influence when and how much to harvest by adjusting the right inputs (e.g. light). This avoids significant product losses due to discrepancies between harvest and sales timing. Finally, harvest time and volume forecasts are combined with price forecasts to make accurate sales agreements.
The project partners are widely spread across the border region. The lead partner HarvestAi Research Netherlands B.V. is based in Gelderland, as is the company Corvus Drones B.V.. The other development partner, Troido GmbH, comes from North Rhine-Westphalia. The two greenhouse companies involved are Botany B.V. in Limburg and Gartenbauzentrale e.G. in Lower Saxony. RheWaTech - Rhein-Waal Institut für Technologie gemeinnützige UG from North Rhine-Westphalia is involved in the project to support project management. A further eight associated partners are involved in the realisation of the project.
The project will run until the end of February 2027 and has a total budget of 1,585,117.80 euros. The consortium's own contribution amounts to €737,085.30. An amount of €848,032.50 is subsidised by Interreg and co-financed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Federal and European Affairs and Regional Development, the Province of Gelderland and the Province of Limburg.
Further information can be found at: https://deutschland-nederland.eu/de/projects/predictive-ai-harvests-prices/
