A new $20 million robotic avocado packing shed opens in Manjimup, in Australia’s South West, with automation increasing packing output and reducing staffing levels. The facility is designed to boost processing capacity while replacing part of the casual workforce, with at least some roles handled by robots.
The upgrade is part of efforts to respond to rising operating costs in the avocado industry. Outlets describe the project as one of the largest packing sheds in the country and highlight growers’ expectations that higher efficiency will help manage cost pressures.
While coverage agrees on the scale of the investment and the shift toward automation, the outlets focus on different implications. One report emphasizes staffing reductions and the operational impact of robots, while another frames the opening more broadly as a cost-management measure for growers and the industry as a whole.
