What happens when humans and robots harvest side by side? Not in theory, but in the real, high-pressure reality of mushroom farms, with variable growth, peak flushes, labour shortages and razor-thin margins.

Every breakthrough in mushroom cultivation begins with a simple question: how can we do this better? For years, growers around the world have faced the same relentless challenges, labour shortages, ergonomic strain, rising production demands and the constant pressure to maintain quality with fewer hands in the growing rooms.

A still image taken from a promotional video of the manufacturer whose technology is key to the new Leamington mushroom plant that is displacing Highline Mushrooms’ Prince Edward County plant.

Canadian Mycionics has launched its robotic mushroom harvesting and scanning system with South Mill Champs.

Jana Tian, right, of Upside Robotics makes a point at an Ag Robotics Working Group panel discussion during the London Farm Show. Matt Stevens of Finite Robotics looks on. Photo: John Greig

Heereco, an organic mushroom cultivator in the Netherlands, is implementing a fully integrated automated solution for mushroom harvesting in the fresh market. This is executed by strategically integrating Christiaens’ future-proof Drawer System and Mycionics’ robotic technology, including the pointer system.

Mycionics, a robotic technology firm, and Christiaens Group, a supplier of farms and equipment to the global mushroom industry, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to supply a robotic mushroom harvesting solution for the Drawer System.

Mushroom farms around the world are dealing with the problem of labor shortage. In Canada and the US, there is a labor gap of about 20 percent and about $200 million worth of mushrooms are wasted each year due to the lack of laborers. “It’s a skilled job as mushrooms are very delicate to the touch” says Michael Curry with Mycionics, developer of a robotic mushroom harvesting system. “It takes about three months to become a skilled harvester but due to the repetitive nature of the work and the high humidity, it’s a job people are not as keen to do.” With a turnover of 40+ percent, many workers leave the farm before they have learned the ropes.

Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) announced the transfer of its patented robotic mushroom harvesting technology to Mycionics Inc., a Canadian agtech company located in Putnam, Ontario.