Bitwiser Blog
Practical insights on berry yield forecasting, AI in agriculture, and how leading growers are getting more from every season.
Why berry yield forecasting is stuck at ~50% accuracy — and what changes that
Most large berry farms forecast yield at around 50% accuracy. This blog explains why manual counting hits a ceiling — and how AI-powered systems like GreenView AI have taken that to 90%+.
Conozca al experto: Salih Hodzhov, WB Chambers
“Los frutos rojos son un cultivo de alto valor con una vida útil muy corta, por lo que una predicción precisa ayuda en la venta a los supermercados; ellos quieren saber con antelación cuánta fruta se cosechará y cuándo”, afirmó Salih. “Si se cosecha demasiada fruta y se lanza al mercado, de repente los precios pueden caer, o no se puede vender y la fruta se desperdicia. Igualmente, si no podemos satisfacer la demanda o entregar el volumen prometido, hay una enorme implicación financiera para nosotros. Las previsiones precisas ayudan a mantener estables los precios y el suministro”.
Conozca al experto: Jan Redpath, Angus Soft Fruits
Los frutos rojos se encuentran entre los cultivos más difíciles de prever. Los patrones de maduración impulsados por el clima y la demanda cambiante del sector minorista generan una incertidumbre constante. ‘Las berries son la fruta menos predecible en cuanto a cosecha y demanda’, afirmó Jan Redpath. ‘Incluso predecir la próxima semana es un desafío… los frutos maduran con picos inesperados… y existe una demanda fluctuante por parte del cliente’.
Meet the Expert: Salih Hodzhov, WB Chambers
“Soft fruit is a high-value crop with a very short shelf life, so accurate prediction helps in selling to supermarkets, they want to know in advance how much fruit you will harvest and when,” said Salih. “If too much fruit is harvested and put on the market suddenly prices can drop, or you can’t sell it and the fruit goes to waste. Equally if we can’t meet demand or deliver the volume we promised, there is a huge financial implication for us. Accurate forecasts help maintain stable prices and supply.”
Meet the Expert: Jan Redpath, Angus Soft Fruits
Berries are among the most difficult crops to forecast. Weather-driven ripening patterns and shifting retail demand create constant uncertainty. “Berries are the least predictable fruit in terms of harvesting and demand,” said Jan Redpath. “Even predicting next week is a challenge… fruits are ripening with unexpected flushes … and there’s fluctuating demand on the customer side.”
How to master berry forecasting
If you’ve got a single-picking crop like apples, total tonnage is more straightforward to measure based on fruit weights and number of fruits. However, when it comes to berries and other crops that require multiple harvests over an extended period, the situation becomes far more complicated.
How our customers use our forecasting tools
The reality of modern farming means growers need to understand human factors, market influences, and logistic behaviours in order to accurately forecast. The example we’re showing today highlights the discrepancy between forecasted blueberry picking amounts and actual picks due to human decision-making in the field.
Growing degree days vs calendar days for forecasting
If you want to increase the accuracy of yield predictions it’s crucial to understand the importance of growing degree days (GDD) vs calendar days. By using GDD we can properly understand how many heat units it takes to get to each phenological stage.
Understand ripening curve to forecast to over 90% accuracy
Want to know how long it takes your specific crop to go from flower to pickable fruit? The answer lies in understanding your ripening curve and growing degree days for accurate forecasting.
How to use GreenView tools for accurate and scalable plant, flower & fruit counting
GreenView tools enable accurate and scalable plant, flower & fruit counting. GreenView counts berries at superhuman speed and categorises fruit into different phenological stages. Now with our new Forecasting and Scenario Tool you can take your projections a step further and incorporate growing degree day accumulation.