Japan's Kubota Invests in U.S. Harvesting Robot Maker

Osaka, Jan. 9 (Jiji Press)--Kubota Corp. <6326> said Thursday that it has invested several hundred million yen in a U.S. startup developing automated apple-picking robots.

Through the investment in California-based Abundant Robotics Inc., Kubota hopes to promote automation of harvesting operations to save farmers work.

The U.S. company, established in 2016, offers harvesting services besides development of automated apple-picking robots.

The Japanese machinery maker, based in Osaka, western Japan, set up an innovation center last year to enhance cooperation with partners.

In August last year, the company invested in a U.S. startup developing strawberry-picking robots.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]