Le 02/03/2026
VegMech Mid-Project Update: Advancing Vegetable Mechanisation to Maximise Labour and Cost Efficiency
The project is at its halfway point and can already be considered a significant success, in progressing field agtech for Australian vegetable systems.
Australian vegetable growers are gaining a competitive edge through exclusive demonstrationss of cutting-edge international machinery, delivered under this pioneering program by Hort Innovation and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries.
Backed by a $4.1 million investment, the initiative is accelerating the adoption of advanced mechanisation technologies across the Australian vegetable industry. It is already contributing to reduced input costs and addressing labour challenges, two critical pressures impacting grower profitability.
2024 Study Tour insights and communications: A foundation for success
The foundation for 2025’s success was the comprehensive grower study tour facilitated by the VegMech project in 2024 to the USA, including key participation in the FIRA USA event. The insights gleaned from connecting with the international agtech community were shared by tour participants through a diverse range of post-tour communications. This included detailed industry updates, in-depth podcasts, feature articles published in the Australian Grower Magazine, and professionally produced study tour videos, establishing a strong base of knowledge sharing that informed the project's strategy moving into 2025.
2025 Year in Review: Advancing agricultural technology adoption
The VegMech project team proudly reflects on a highly successful and productive 2025, a year marked by significant milestones in communicating outcomes, facilitating technology adoption, and fostering industry engagement.
Facilitating high-precision technology adoption
A significant triumph for the program in 2025 was the successful facilitation of the first Ecorobotix ARA high-precision sprayer into Australia in April 2025. This critical step marked a turning point in the local availability of advanced smart spraying technology. Following its introduction, the program focused on supporting and accelerating the subsequent commercial adoption of this innovative technology by vegetable growers across the country, demonstrating the project’s commitment to translating global technology into practical, local solutions.
Intensive grower engagement and field demonstrations
A cornerstone of the 2025 program was hands-on grower engagement through a series of field days and case study technology demonstration sites. These events were strategically held in four states across Australia, ensuring wide geographical reach and relevance to diverse growing conditions. The demonstrations provided growers with invaluable opportunities to witness advanced agricultural technology in a real-world setting. Key technologies showcased included:
- Autonomous weeding and seeding machines: Demonstrating the potential for reduced labor costs and improved efficiency in planting and crop maintenance.
- High-Precision smart spraying systems: Highlighting the benefits of reduced chemical use, increased accuracy, and improved environmental stewardship, exemplified by the Ecorobotix ARA.
- Robotti autonomous implement carrier: Demonstrating the potential for autonomous implement carriers so that labour resources can be deployed elsewhere in the farming system.
These sites were crucial for allowing growers to not only see the solutions in action but also to hear directly from their peers, the growers who were actively trialing these technologies, providing authentic insights into the challenges and benefits of each technology.
Gatton AgTech Showcase
A culmination of the year’s efforts was the hosting of the Gatton AgTech Showcase in October 2025. This premier event served as a vital hub, successfully bringing together nearly 1500 attendees including industry leaders, growers, technology manufacturers, and researchers from across the world. The Showcase provided live field demonstrations, static displays and exhibitors highlighting the newest and most advanced technologies available in vegetables, fostering invaluable networking, and significantly contributing to the continued expansion and strengthening of the horticultural agtech community in Australia.
Global connectivity and future AgTech pipeline
Furthering the project’s mission to connect the Australian industry with global innovations and raise the profile of the Australian market, the VegMech project was representated at Agritechnica in Germany, the world’s leading agricultural technology fair. This international engagement was pivotal for initiating and strengthening relationships with international manufacturers. The primary objective of this mission was to advance discussions and collaboration necessary to pipeline new, cutting-edge agtech solutions and expertise into Australia, ensuring the local industry remains at the forefront of global technology.
Through a concerted effort encompassing focused collaboration, extensive knowledge sharing, and direct, meaningful industry engagement, the VegMech project successfully navigated 2025 and continues to robustly progress the national adoption of vital agricultural technology.
Further information: Download the report
About VegMech...
How Agricultural Robots Help Australian Growers Adapt to Rising Costs - Read more
VegMech Webinar Highlights Packaging and Harvesting Robots - Read more
Australia: Robots to boost veggie growers’ tech - Read more
