Press Release from Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Ministry of Agriculture

Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station Launches Electric Crawler-Type Vegetable Transplanter Addressing Labor Shortages and Aging Workforce

September 6, 2024

　　To tackle the challenges of labor shortages and the aging workforce in vegetable cultivation within greenhouses and net houses, Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station (hereinafter referred to as TYDARES) of the Ministry of Agriculture has successfully developed an "Electric Crawler-Type Vegetable Transplanter." This transplanter can adjust the spacing between vegetable seedlings based on different crop types. By standardizing planting distances, it significantly improves the efficiency of subsequent mechanized harvesting operations, achieving labor savings and enhancing production efficiency. This innovation aims to address the labor shortage issues in vegetable transplanting operations.

　　According to TYDARES, the most notable feature of this electric crawler-type vegetable transplanter is its fully electric design. With a total length of 2.6 meters and a turning radius of only 1.8 meters, it is well-suited for operating in confined spaces. It can operate continuously for 2.5 to 3 hours. The machine can plant six rows of seedlings at a time, and with three workers (one driver and two seedling operators), it can plant 7,500 seedlings per hour. On average, each worker can plant 2,500 seedlings per hour. Compared to the traditional manual squatting method, the machine doubles the efficiency while being easy and convenient to operate. Furthermore, the planting distance can be adjusted between 12 and 25 centimeters, catering to different vegetable planting needs.

　　TYDARES emphasized that by integrating mechanized technology for vegetable production, it aims to achieve complete mechanization of leafy vegetable transplanting, replacing manual planting. The newly developed electric crawler-type vegetable transplanter not only eliminates pollution from fuel engines but also allows operators to work comfortably in greenhouses, reducing carbon emissions while preventing knee and back injuries associated with squatting. In the future, TYDARES will continue developing a series of electric mechanized tools for vegetable production facilities to improve overall production efficiency and ease the labor burden on farmers.

Contact Information：

Spokesperson and Deputy Director: Yang-Jen Fu, Tel: 03-4768216 ext. 101, Mobile: 0919872010

Crop Environment Section, Assistant Researcher: Chu-Hsiang Tseng, Tel: 03-4768216 ext. 346

Fig. 1 The electric crawler-type vegetable transplanter operates in the greenhouse
without engine exhaust or noise issues

Fig. 2 Transplanting baby leafy vegetables with an adjusted plant spacing of 12-13 cm