Investments in agriculture technology have receded so far this year, following a record global investment last year. Funding from venture capitalists and others totaled $1.8 billion through the first six months of the year, down 20 percent from a year earlier, according to Reuters. Industry officials say the pullback falls in line with the broader venture capital market. The decline also comes as weak grain prices put pressure on farmers’ incomes and corporate profits. Investment slipped in the drones and robotics and food e-commerce categories, while soil and crop technology experienced an uptick. The decrease of investments follows a record high $4.6 billion investment in agriculture technologies last year.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.