“Farming Happily with HADA”
HADA Inc., a specialized company in field crop agricultural machinery and agricultural robots
Even the company name itself is distinctive. “HADA” is a company name that sounds like it means “to do” or “to accomplish,” giving the impression of a company that works diligently and ultimately achieves results.
True to its name, the company has steadily been achieving its goals, especially in the remarkable and challenging field of agricultural robots. Calling itself a “research institute company,” HADA is leading the way in developing and popularizing agricultural robots.
We met with CEO Jongwoo Ha to discuss the company.
“Farmers have low trust and understanding of agricultural robots, so changing awareness is necessary. We expect many changes within about 10 years.”
Because agricultural robots are still an unfamiliar field, many people are curious about HADA. Could you explain what kind of company HADA is by reflecting on its past, present, and future?
Our company was established as a corporation in 2012 after receiving investment from Jeonbuk Technology Holdings. Over the past 12 years, we have produced various agricultural machines combined with tractors for field crop work, and we have built a full lineup from research and development to manufacturing and sales. Our main crop focus is garlic. Recently, however, we have been concentrating on agricultural robots. We develop spraying robots for greenhouses and orchards, and in the future, we plan to develop spraying robots for open fields like rice paddies and fields. In short, HADA started with field crop agricultural machinery, moved into agricultural robots, and is now advancing toward becoming a specialized agricultural robot manufacturer — a company specialized in robotics.
Is there a particular reason why garlic is the main crop for HADA’s field crop machinery?
My father worked in the agricultural machinery sector for about 40 years, and I started by assisting him, which eventually led me here. He had a lot of know-how specifically about garlic cultivation, which we commercialized. Garlic farming is labor-intensive, so farmers have many demands for machinery such as seeders, stem cutters, harvesters, and collectors. The business originally started as an agricultural machinery dealership but eventually expanded into manufacturing and production. My father conducted business in Changnyeong, Gyeongnam, which is one of Korea’s main garlic-producing regions.
Since agricultural robots are not commonly encountered, how widespread is their adoption in Korea?
First, the definition of agricultural robots itself is still debated, so it’s a complicated topic. For now, the term “automation” is more accurate — automation that does not require human hands. Farmers have low trust and understanding of agricultural robots, so changing perception is essential. Currently, the industry is in its infancy, but we expect significant changes within about 10 years.
HADA has recently accelerated agricultural robot development. What areas do you emphasize in research and development?
Safety is our priority. We started developing agricultural robots a long time ago. From the company’s founding, we believed mechanical methods had limitations, so we prioritized hiring personnel capable of robotics development. Initially, we focused on automatic function implementation, and in recent years, sales of agricultural robots have gradually increased. As we sell and distribute robots to farms, we realize the importance of safety. Since robots operate without people present, malfunctions could cause injury or farm damage, so we invest a lot in safety studies and pay special attention to this during development.
How much does HADA currently focus on research and development?
It’s accurate to call us a “research institute company.” If we allocate 20% each to manufacturing, sales, and service, the remaining 60-70% is focused on research and development. There are still many technological challenges to overcome, so we plan to continue investing heavily in research. Although we have not yet reached the break-even point with agricultural robot sales, last year our robot revenue almost matched that of agricultural machinery. At this rate, robot sales will surpass machinery sales soon, and within about five years, robot revenue is expected to exceed the break-even point.
What are HADA’s plans for overseas sales, in addition to the domestic market?
Exporting is essential. To grow the company, we need to hire talented people, and to attract talent, the company needs to grow — and exports drive that growth. For exports, we need to focus on versatile products rather than specialized crops. That’s why we chose spraying robots. Spraying is essential for crops grown everywhere — greenhouses, open fields, orchards, paddies, and fields — but because of risks such as pesticide poisoning, automation in this area is urgent. Unlike seeding or harvesting, spraying methods are similar across crops, which reduces development difficulties.
The company name “HADA” is simple yet distinctive and seems like it would work well internationally. What inspired this name?
Honestly, it had no meaning at first. (laughs) I just really liked the two syllables “HADA.” It’s catchy and easy to say, so I gave it meaning afterward. “HADA” is a pure Korean verb meaning “to do,” which implies action and practice — which I like. Coincidentally, the pronunciation is related to “field” in Japanese.
You participated in the Smart Farm Multi-Ministry Package Innovative Technology Development Project. What was your task and what were the results?
The first task was developing spraying robot technology for greenhouses. The technology developed is currently being distributed to farms through a new technology dissemination project starting in 2025. Support from multiple cities and counties confirmed strong demand in the agricultural field, making it a good case that commercialization will expand rapidly.
The second task was researching harvesting and fruit thinning robots. These robots use image analysis to recognize crops and operate complex robot arms with harvest grippers. Since it integrates many technologies and parts, it requires 3-5 more years of research. We plan to continue product development to achieve fully automated harvesting in the future.
Final question: Have you ever thought about where you’ll be in 10 or 20 years?
About five years ago, I started planning my life until age 70 on an Excel file. I plan to stay here and keep working to create the products I dream of. In 20 or 30 years, the number of employees will have increased significantly, and the scale of the factory and research center will have grown. Farmers using our products will be farming more happily. Above all, my hope is that HADA will become a company with high recognition even overseas.
* Click the image to view the file.
“Farming Happily with HADA”
HADA Inc., a specialized company in field crop agricultural machinery and agricultural robots
Even the company name itself is distinctive. “HADA” is a company name that sounds like it means “to do” or “to accomplish,” giving the impression of a company that works diligently and ultimately achieves results.
True to its name, the company has steadily been achieving its goals, especially in the remarkable and challenging field of agricultural robots. Calling itself a “research institute company,” HADA is leading the way in developing and popularizing agricultural robots.
We met with CEO Jongwoo Ha to discuss the company.
“Farmers have low trust and understanding of agricultural robots, so changing awareness is necessary. We expect many changes within about 10 years.”
Because agricultural robots are still an unfamiliar field, many people are curious about HADA. Could you explain what kind of company HADA is by reflecting on its past, present, and future?
Our company was established as a corporation in 2012 after receiving investment from Jeonbuk Technology Holdings. Over the past 12 years, we have produced various agricultural machines combined with tractors for field crop work, and we have built a full lineup from research and development to manufacturing and sales. Our main crop focus is garlic. Recently, however, we have been concentrating on agricultural robots. We develop spraying robots for greenhouses and orchards, and in the future, we plan to develop spraying robots for open fields like rice paddies and fields. In short, HADA started with field crop agricultural machinery, moved into agricultural robots, and is now advancing toward becoming a specialized agricultural robot manufacturer — a company specialized in robotics.
Is there a particular reason why garlic is the main crop for HADA’s field crop machinery?
My father worked in the agricultural machinery sector for about 40 years, and I started by assisting him, which eventually led me here. He had a lot of know-how specifically about garlic cultivation, which we commercialized. Garlic farming is labor-intensive, so farmers have many demands for machinery such as seeders, stem cutters, harvesters, and collectors. The business originally started as an agricultural machinery dealership but eventually expanded into manufacturing and production. My father conducted business in Changnyeong, Gyeongnam, which is one of Korea’s main garlic-producing regions.
Since agricultural robots are not commonly encountered, how widespread is their adoption in Korea?
First, the definition of agricultural robots itself is still debated, so it’s a complicated topic. For now, the term “automation” is more accurate — automation that does not require human hands. Farmers have low trust and understanding of agricultural robots, so changing perception is essential. Currently, the industry is in its infancy, but we expect significant changes within about 10 years.
HADA has recently accelerated agricultural robot development. What areas do you emphasize in research and development?
Safety is our priority. We started developing agricultural robots a long time ago. From the company’s founding, we believed mechanical methods had limitations, so we prioritized hiring personnel capable of robotics development. Initially, we focused on automatic function implementation, and in recent years, sales of agricultural robots have gradually increased. As we sell and distribute robots to farms, we realize the importance of safety. Since robots operate without people present, malfunctions could cause injury or farm damage, so we invest a lot in safety studies and pay special attention to this during development.
How much does HADA currently focus on research and development?
It’s accurate to call us a “research institute company.” If we allocate 20% each to manufacturing, sales, and service, the remaining 60-70% is focused on research and development. There are still many technological challenges to overcome, so we plan to continue investing heavily in research. Although we have not yet reached the break-even point with agricultural robot sales, last year our robot revenue almost matched that of agricultural machinery. At this rate, robot sales will surpass machinery sales soon, and within about five years, robot revenue is expected to exceed the break-even point.
What are HADA’s plans for overseas sales, in addition to the domestic market?
Exporting is essential. To grow the company, we need to hire talented people, and to attract talent, the company needs to grow — and exports drive that growth. For exports, we need to focus on versatile products rather than specialized crops. That’s why we chose spraying robots. Spraying is essential for crops grown everywhere — greenhouses, open fields, orchards, paddies, and fields — but because of risks such as pesticide poisoning, automation in this area is urgent. Unlike seeding or harvesting, spraying methods are similar across crops, which reduces development difficulties.
The company name “HADA” is simple yet distinctive and seems like it would work well internationally. What inspired this name?
Honestly, it had no meaning at first. (laughs) I just really liked the two syllables “HADA.” It’s catchy and easy to say, so I gave it meaning afterward. “HADA” is a pure Korean verb meaning “to do,” which implies action and practice — which I like. Coincidentally, the pronunciation is related to “field” in Japanese.
You participated in the Smart Farm Multi-Ministry Package Innovative Technology Development Project. What was your task and what were the results?
The first task was developing spraying robot technology for greenhouses. The technology developed is currently being distributed to farms through a new technology dissemination project starting in 2025. Support from multiple cities and counties confirmed strong demand in the agricultural field, making it a good case that commercialization will expand rapidly.
The second task was researching harvesting and fruit thinning robots. These robots use image analysis to recognize crops and operate complex robot arms with harvest grippers. Since it integrates many technologies and parts, it requires 3-5 more years of research. We plan to continue product development to achieve fully automated harvesting in the future.
Final question: Have you ever thought about where you’ll be in 10 or 20 years?
About five years ago, I started planning my life until age 70 on an Excel file. I plan to stay here and keep working to create the products I dream of. In 20 or 30 years, the number of employees will have increased significantly, and the scale of the factory and research center will have grown. Farmers using our products will be farming more happily. Above all, my hope is that HADA will become a company with high recognition even overseas.
* Click the image to view the file.