Accelerating its national ambitions within the grower, packer, and processor market, HarvestEye has secured a distributorship in Scotland by teaming up with agricultural and machinery supplier Agricar. This strategic partnership comes just in time for the harvesting season and is expected to significantly benefit Scottish farmers.
Agricar will be responsible for the distributorship of the HarvestEye 2.0 and HarvestEye Handheld systems. These innovative technologies, which can be fitted to harvesting or grading equipment, offer a cost-effective solution for delivering visibility into the size, shape, and mapping variability of potatoes and onions. The data is accessible via an online portal and daily reports, making it easy for farmers to monitor their crops in real-time. Notably, the system is designed to provide fast and accurate crop measurements even in challenging conditions, such as low evening sun.
Harry Tinson, general manager at HarvestEye, expressed his excitement about the partnership. “As a premier supplier with vast experience on the needs and challenges facing Scottish farmers, Agricar can help scale our operation in Scotland. The relationship will provide the visibility and ease of access to our units to support growers with their potato precision harvesting requirements,” he said.
The HarvestEye Handheld version, launched earlier this year, further enhances the technology’s capabilities. This portable device leverages the power and data insight of the system, allowing customers to count and size crops during pre-harvest test digs through a tablet device. This feature is particularly useful for farmers who need to make quick decisions based on accurate data before the actual harvesting begins.
Derek Johnston, director at Agricar, shared his perspective on the partnership. “At Agricar, we see HarvestEye as a long-term partner. The fact that we specialize in potato machinery and GPS products makes it a fit to our product offering. HarvestEye is a relatively new product in the marketplace, but we feel that it can offer added value to the potato grower by giving the customer more accurate information earlier during harvest. This information can, in turn, be shared with the buyer or packhouses to help speed up and streamline the whole process,” he stated.
The implications of this partnership are significant for the Scottish agricultural sector. By providing farmers with advanced tools for monitoring and analyzing their crops, HarvestEye and Agricar are helping to modernize farming practices. The ability to obtain precise measurements and insights into crop conditions can lead to more efficient harvesting processes, reduced waste, and ultimately, higher profits for farmers.
Moreover, the technology’s ability to perform well under challenging conditions ensures that farmers can rely on accurate data regardless of environmental factors. This reliability is crucial for making informed decisions that can impact the overall success of the harvest.
In summary, the partnership between HarvestEye and Agricar represents a promising development for Scottish farmers. By leveraging cutting-edge technology to provide detailed crop insights, this collaboration is set to enhance the efficiency and profitability of potato and onion farming in the region. As the harvesting season approaches, farmers can look forward to a more streamlined and data-driven approach to their operations.