TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An organic fertilizer cooperative in Yunlin County has turned to automation with government support to overcome a labor shortage and boost efficiency.
The cooperative struggled to recruit workers for composting livestock manure, which is mixed with organic material to create fertilizer. Composted fertilizer provides more nutrients to crops than unprocessed manure and reduces odor as well as risks linked to bacteria and viruses, per CNA.
The factory upgrade was led by 28-year-old Lin Sen-yeh (林森野), whose grandfather founded the cooperative 24 years ago. He saw how the process relied on manual laborers performing physically exhausting work in an unpleasant environment.
A shortage of workers threatened the business, leading to reduced efficiency and declining production capacity. At times, the cooperative was unable to meet farmers’ needs.
Lin studied industrial engineering management at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, aiming to modernize the cooperative. Last year, he worked with the Precision Machinery Research and Development Center (PMC), which inspected the facility and recommended robotic arms to improve space use.
He then secured funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and other agencies to carry out PMC’s plan for a robotic stacking system. PMC developed a customized gripper module capable of lifting 20–30 kg fertilizer bags.
Lin said the new system has eliminated reliance on manual handling, significantly improving efficiency and reducing costs. Since its introduction, one production line has reduced staffing from five to two workers.
The robotic arm stacks fertilizer bags neatly on pallets, eliminating the risks of improper stacking while improving warehouse management.
Lin acknowledged the expense of installation but said loans from financial institutions, combined with government assistance, made the project possible.
He said the cooperative’s modernization allows it to promote organic, circular agriculture. Looking ahead, he hopes to persuade more farmers not to dump livestock and poultry manure directly on farmland, but instead process it into fertilizer through automated systems that benefit both crops and the environment.
