[PapaBear3625]

Over the long term, this task will be taken over by robotic fruit pickers. The availability of cheap illegal labor delays the point where technology replaces the human on the ladder.

[Oatka]

Over the long term, this task will be taken over by robotic fruit pickers. The availability of cheap illegal labor delays the point where technology replaces the human on the ladder.

First thing I thought of. When one farmer said, "We've been dealing with this for a number of years now,", all I could think of was - "and as long as you could depend upon cheap labor, there was no need for automation."

Granted, picking fruit is different from row crops, which by and large, can take rougher handling. Once our creative genius is turned loose, better machines than the ones I have seen will show up.