Robots could put an end to wonky veg

WONKY and inedible vegetables will be eradicated by farm robots, which will not harvest crops until perfect, scientists have predicted.

Engineers are already working on machines that can plant seeds, weed, water and spray without a farmer needing to venture into the field. They would also be programmed to only pick crops when ready for sale.

Currently, farmers harvest fields in one go – slaughter harvesting – which can see up to 60 per cent of the crop wasted because it was not ready or was over-ripe.