Strawberry growers face a constant balancing act: unpredictable weather, rapidly changing crop conditions and labour management pressures make it difficult to forecast yields with confidence. Too few pickers and fruit goes to waste; too many and costs spiral.
FruitCast is changing that. Developed with support from Ceres Agri-Tech, its AI-powered platform combines weather data, historical yields and real-time crop imagery to deliver accurate forecasts, not just days ahead, but across the entire growing season.
By turning uncertainty into insight, FruitCast helps growers plan labour more effectively, reduce waste and improve profitability – building a more resilient, sustainable and economically robust soft-fruit sector.
“Our advanced forecasting tools significantly reduce food waste and empower growers to plan more effectively, underpinning a more sustainable and resilient food supply chain.”
Dr Raymond Martin, continues:
“FruitCast exemplifies how AI can provide tangible, measurable benefits – boosting outcomes for growers and simultaneously lowering environmental impact.”
A blend of AI technologies
FruitCast’s software employs a sophisticated blend of AI technologies, including computer vision, machine learning and time-series forecasting. The platform synthesises weather forecasts, historical yield data and advanced computer vision analysis of crop imagery to generate precise yield predictions. Models are continuously refined using location-specific data, dynamically adapting to seasonal variations and individual farm conditions. This hybrid approach delivers practical, actionable insights, enabling growers to make confident weekly management decisions.
FruitCast's AI-powered platform
A collaborative agri-tech journey from lab to field
FruitCast began in 2017 as part of Dr Raymond Martin’s doctoral research at the University of Lincoln, focused on improving yield forecasting for soft fruits using AI. Working closely with growers, Raymond created algorithms that significantly outperformed traditional forecasting methods. A working prototype gained national attention on BBC Countryfile in 2019 and caught the eye of Ceres Agri-Tech.
Dr Louise Sutherland, Ceres Agri-Tech Project Development Director, shares:
“FruitCast is built on strong early-stage research that Ceres Agri-Tech funded to shape the technology and develop the commercial opportunity.”
With translational funding and commercialisation support from Ceres Agri-Tech, the project quickly evolved. Ceres Agri-Tech, founded and based at Cambridge Enterprise, helped shape the business plan, secure IP and establish the company. By 2021, FruitCast had officially spun out and today, it forecasts yields for over 20% of the UK’s strawberry crop, collaborating extensively with leading growers across the industry.
The company’s roots span multiple disciplines, from AI and machine learning to crop physiology and horticulture, collaborating with the University of Lincoln, Cambridge Enterprise and Ceres Agri-Tech.
FruitCast’s growth has been supported by a strong foundation of funding and strategic backing. This includes £290,000 from Cambridge Enterprise and the University of Lincoln, £250,000 from Ceres Agri-Tech to support translational development and commercialisation and a further £2.6 million from Innovate UK and private equity investors in 2023. Together, this investment has enabled the team to scale its technology, expand its market reach and build lasting partnerships across the horticultural sector.
Looking ahead, the company is expanding its reach both in the UK and internationally, deepening relationships with strawberry producers and delivering tailored forecasting solutions. It’s also extending its forecasting capabilities to other soft fruits – starting with blueberries and raspberries – to help more growers make smarter, more sustainable decisions.
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Image Credits: Unsplash and FruitCast
