Strawberries 2.0: How technology is improving Dutch cultivation
The Netherlands embraces innovative technology to optimize strawberry production.
Published on August 9, 2025
Team IO+ selects and features the most important news stories on innovation and technology, carefully curated by our editors.
The Dutch strawberry cultivation has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, according to the CBS. In 2024, growers produced 86 million kilograms of strawberries. That is double the amount produced in 2010. We can therefore say that strawberry cultivation in the Netherlands is doing well. And there is more good news: the Netherlands is embracing innovative technology to optimize the production of these red gems.
AI tells you when a strawberry is ripe
First, we need to talk about AI. A crucial factor in strawberry cultivation is determining the right time to harvest. Strawberries do not ripen further after they have been picked, so it is important to harvest them at exactly the right moment. However, this is no easy task, as the ripening process is influenced by various factors, such as the planting date, water, nutrition, temperature, and sunlight. To help growers with this, AI models are being developed that can predict the optimal harvest time. Researchers at TU Delft have been working on a model that can determine when strawberries are ripe based on photos, weather forecasts, and historical data.
Greenhouses can grow crops without emissions
The Netherlands is also a leader in emission-free cultivation. The Demonstration Greenhouse 2030, developed by Wageningen University & Research, has demonstrated that it is possible to grow strawberries year-round without emissions. By using LED lighting, active dehumidification, insulation, and screens, energy consumption was significantly reduced while production remained high. Cultivation was entirely electric, with minimal CO₂ input and virtually no chemical crop protection products. Pests were largely controlled biologically and pollination was carried out using natural insects such as bumblebees and hoverflies. Experiments were also conducted with growing on rock wool and limiting lighting, which provided valuable insights into the balance between sustainability and yield. Despite slightly lower production in the last year (18 kg/m²), the project is convincing proof that emission-free cultivation with high yields is possible.
BERRY picking robot
Our neighbors are also getting in on the act. BERRY is an advanced harvesting robot from Organifarms that has been specially developed for the automatic picking of strawberries. Thanks to smart image recognition software, BERRY not only recognizes the position of the fruit, but also assesses its ripeness and quality. Only perfectly ripe strawberries are harvested, after which the robot carefully picks them, places them directly into trays, and weighs them. Super handy!
