Will robot pickers change our fruit?
The Food Chain17 Okt 2019

Will robot pickers change our fruit?

Across the world, as fruits ripen, teams of pickers set out across the fields. Without them, produce would be left to rot and farms profits would plummet.

But in many countries, population shifts and changes to immigration laws have left farmers struggling to find enough people to do the work. The effect has been particularly pronounced in the US where President Trump has cracked down on immigration, and the UK with its plans to leave the EU.

Enter the robots. Over the past few years, interest and investment in machines that can pick fruit and vegetables that are usually harvested by humans, have been ramping up.

Emily Thomas asks whether we should welcome these new developments. Picking fruit is low paid, low-skilled and physically demanding work, and exploitation in the industry is well-documented. But it’s also a source of income that many depend on, and the main source of employment in some parts of the world.

Plus, if we do let machines do the job, what are the implications for the environment, and how our food looks and tastes?

(Picture: Man reaches forward to pick an apple from a tree. Credit: BBC/ Getty Images)

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(556)

The regulars

The regulars

Do you have a local cafe, restaurant or bar that you go to all the time? Maybe the staff recognise you or know you by name, perhaps you even get special treatment. In this programme Rumella Dasgupta ...

19 Aug 26min

Leaving home

Leaving home

Moving out of the family home can be a big first step at whatever age you do it. Paying bills, budgeting, shopping, and importantly cooking for yourself. In this programme Rumella Dasgupta asks what ...

12 Aug 26min

What can food tell us about the past?

What can food tell us about the past?

What can food reveal about the people who came before us? From ancient meals and family recipes to the chemical traces left behind in bones and teeth, food offers remarkable clues about how people liv...

5 Aug 26min

Should I cut down on carbs?

Should I cut down on carbs?

Have you ever asked yourself: should I do Keto? Is white rice good for me? Am I eating too many carbohydrates? If so, then this episode of The Food Chain is for you. Carbohydrate-rich foods are everyw...

29 Juli 26min

When should I eat my evening meal?

When should I eat my evening meal?

When should you eat your evening meal? Is it really better to eat earlier, or does it depend on when you go to bed? And if you do have to eat late, is there anything you can do to reduce the impact on...

22 Juli 26min

The rise of eating alone

The rise of eating alone

Listener Melanie wrote into The Food Chain to ask us to make a programme about the rising numbers of people who eat alone. She told us she often dines solo and sometimes finds the experience daunting....

15 Juli 26min

What do World Cup footballers eat?

What do World Cup footballers eat?

Elite footballers are among the world's most finely tuned athletes. Every meal is carefully planned to fuel training, maximise recovery and prepare for the next match. But it wasn't always this way.In...

8 Juli 26min

How to order a restaurant meal like a pro

How to order a restaurant meal like a pro

With dining out becoming an increasingly expensive luxury, we find out how to order the perfect restaurant meal with top tips from a panel of seasoned pros. The Irish Times food critic, Corinna Hard...

1 Juli 26min

Populärt inom Samhälle & Kultur

podme-dokumentar
gynning-berg
p3-dokumentar
en-mork-historia
aftonbladet-krim
svenska-fall
creepypodden-med-jack-werner
hor-har
aftonbladet-daily
rss-schyffert-sundin-ar-det-har-nat
flashback-forever
killradet
p1-dokumentar
rss-mer-an-bara-morsa
vad-blir-det-for-mord
rss-vill-du-veta-en-hemlis-2
rss-nemo-moter-en-van
rss-vad-fan-hande
kod-katastrof
mardromsgasten