Key Takeaways:
- A demonstration park in Deqing County, Zhejiang Province, produces vegetables without human labor using AI and IoT technology.
- Automated systems handle transplanting, transportation, cleaning, and greenhouse management.
- Crops are reported to be free from pesticides and heavy metals, yielding five to seven times more than traditional farming.
- The harvested vegetables are supplied to major Chinese retailers such as Freshippo and Yum! Brands.
- The project highlights China’s use of technology to modernize agriculture and improve food safety.
Zhejiang Smart Agriculture Park Implements Full Automation
In Deqing County, east China’s Zhejiang Province, a smart agriculture demonstration park is producing vegetables without any human hands directly involved. The park integrates artificial intelligence (AI) with the Internet of Things (IoT) to manage every step of crop production, from lettuce to arugula, under full-process smart control.
Automated Technology Reduces Labor and Boosts Efficiency
Hu Yaofeng, technical manager at Zhejiang Houji Intelligent Technology, highlighted the park’s innovations. “This is an auto-transplanting machine that we’ve developed by ourselves. It is designed to replace manual labor in the transplanting process. In just 40 seconds, it can transplant 30 vegetable seedlings, boosting efficiency by over 70 percent,” Hu said.
Along with automated transportation lines, cleaning machines, and greenhouse environment control systems, the park achieves a fully unmanned operation, reducing reliance on human labor while maintaining high efficiency.
Zhejiang’s Crop Quality and Supply
Researchers report that vegetables grown in the smart agriculture park are free from pesticides and heavy metals and yield five to seven times more than those grown in traditional open fields. “These are Arugula seedlings. They can be transplanted in about 15 days of cultivation. As you can see, we have already had mature sesame plants outside that have been transplanted. These plants are usually ready for harvest in 25 to 30 days. After harvesting, we sell them to companies like Freshippo and Yum! Brands,” Hu said.
Modernizing Agriculture in China
The park demonstrates how technology is transforming China’s agricultural industry. By leveraging AI, IoT, and automated machinery, Zhejiang’s smart agriculture project aims to deliver safer, healthier vegetables more efficiently. From farm to shelf, the initiative is supplying major retailers while providing a model for future food production practices.
