Field Demonstration Event Held in Yeongyang, Gyeongbuk for Automatic Cabbage & Pepper Transplanter… Expected to Reduce Labor by 7 Times
On March 31, a field demonstration event for mechanized cabbage and pepper transplanting was held in Yeongyang-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. This event was organized to present solutions for cabbage and pepper transplanting, which remains insufficiently mechanized, especially under the worsening labor shortage in upland farming.
The overall mechanization rate of upland farming is currently around 67%, but the mechanization rates for cabbage and pepper are relatively lower at 56.2% and 48.9%, respectively. In particular, the mechanization rate for transplanting is 0% for cabbage and only 0.3% for pepper, meaning that most farms still rely heavily on manual labor, making further mechanization an urgent task.
To address these field challenges, the Rural Development Administration (RDA) is working in cooperation with Hada Co., Ltd. to develop various mechanization technologies that improve the efficiency of transplanting work and to promote their dissemination and expansion in major production areas.
At this field demonstration event, various mechanization technologies were introduced, including the ‘cabbage seedling production technology’ suitable for mechanized farming, the ‘soil-lifting ridging & mulching machine’ capable of performing pre- and post-transplanting operations in a single process, and the ‘automatic cabbage & pepper transplanter’ that automatically plants seedlings. In particular, the automatic cabbage & pepper transplanter, jointly developed by the Rural Development Administration (RDA) and Hada Co., Ltd., drew significant attention for its field applicability and improved operational efficiency.
The automatic cabbage & pepper transplanter is designed to be adaptable to different crop cultivation environments. It supports 72-cell trays for pepper and 128-cell trays for cabbage, and for pepper seedlings, transplanting is possible up to approximately 30cm in height. In addition, the machine enhances adaptability by providing an adjustable in-row spacing function (35–45cm) to match each farm’s cultivation practices.
The transplanter can operate at speeds of 0.21m/s to 0.38m/s depending on field conditions. Based on one-person operation, it can complete approximately 300 pyeong within about 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, and is expected to achieve labor savings of about 7 times compared to manual work.
In addition, the eccentric wheel shifting function enables single-row planting or two-row reciprocating planting depending on the working method, allowing efficient operation tailored to field conditions. For cabbage, the machine can also be configured for two-row planting on flat ridges depending on regional cultivation methods, further improving utilization on farms.
Furthermore, to ensure stable transplanting quality even in uneven terrain such as sloped fields or highland areas, the machine is equipped with a chassis leveling function. It is also designed to automatically adjust ridge height and planting depth, helping to maintain consistent transplanting quality. This structure enables seedlings to be planted vertically, improving establishment rates and contributing to stable growth and increased yields.
Notably, about two weeks prior to the event, the research team and Hada Co., Ltd. engineers were deployed in advance to the Yeongyang area to conduct field trials, allowing cabbage farmers to directly operate the machine and provide feedback for practical improvements. In addition, in late April, field training and application of the transplanter will continue for interested farms in preparation for pepper transplanting.
Although the weather in Yeongyang was somewhat chilly on the day of the event, many farmers and officials from related organizations attended, directly observed the new technology, and actively suggested improvement points and future development directions, making the event highly meaningful.
Hada Co., Ltd. plans to continue cooperating beyond technology development by expanding field verification to reduce labor burdens, prevent musculoskeletal disorders, and further connect these efforts to lower labor costs and increased farm income.
A representative of Hada Co., Ltd. stated, “Cabbage and pepper transplanting is one of the farming processes with the highest dependence on manual labor, making mechanization expansion critically necessary,” and added, “Through this field verification, we will actively reflect farmers’ feedback and further improve the transplanter technology to ensure rapid dissemination and adoption in real cultivation environments.”
Meanwhile, Yeongyang County Mayor Oh Do-chang, Yeongyang Agricultural Technology Center Director Jo Yong-wan, and Gyeongsangbuk-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services Director Jo Young-sook attended the event, reviewed the demonstration site, and expressed expectations for the wider spread of mechanization technology.
📌 Please also check out the field demonstration videos.
We have captured the cabbage & pepper automatic transplanter operation process demonstrated during this event on video.
▶ Cabbage & Pepper Automatic Transplanter Field Demonstration Video 01
▶ Cabbage & Pepper Automatic Transplanter Field Demonstration Video 02
Field Demonstration Event Held in Yeongyang, Gyeongbuk for Automatic Cabbage & Pepper Transplanter… Expected to Reduce Labor by 7 Times
On March 31, a field demonstration event for mechanized cabbage and pepper transplanting was held in Yeongyang-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. This event was organized to present solutions for cabbage and pepper transplanting, which remains insufficiently mechanized, especially under the worsening labor shortage in upland farming.
The overall mechanization rate of upland farming is currently around 67%, but the mechanization rates for cabbage and pepper are relatively lower at 56.2% and 48.9%, respectively. In particular, the mechanization rate for transplanting is 0% for cabbage and only 0.3% for pepper, meaning that most farms still rely heavily on manual labor, making further mechanization an urgent task.
To address these field challenges, the Rural Development Administration (RDA) is working in cooperation with Hada Co., Ltd. to develop various mechanization technologies that improve the efficiency of transplanting work and to promote their dissemination and expansion in major production areas.
At this field demonstration event, various mechanization technologies were introduced, including the ‘cabbage seedling production technology’ suitable for mechanized farming, the ‘soil-lifting ridging & mulching machine’ capable of performing pre- and post-transplanting operations in a single process, and the ‘automatic cabbage & pepper transplanter’ that automatically plants seedlings. In particular, the automatic cabbage & pepper transplanter, jointly developed by the Rural Development Administration (RDA) and Hada Co., Ltd., drew significant attention for its field applicability and improved operational efficiency.
The automatic cabbage & pepper transplanter is designed to be adaptable to different crop cultivation environments. It supports 72-cell trays for pepper and 128-cell trays for cabbage, and for pepper seedlings, transplanting is possible up to approximately 30cm in height. In addition, the machine enhances adaptability by providing an adjustable in-row spacing function (35–45cm) to match each farm’s cultivation practices.
The transplanter can operate at speeds of 0.21m/s to 0.38m/s depending on field conditions. Based on one-person operation, it can complete approximately 300 pyeong within about 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, and is expected to achieve labor savings of about 7 times compared to manual work.
In addition, the eccentric wheel shifting function enables single-row planting or two-row reciprocating planting depending on the working method, allowing efficient operation tailored to field conditions. For cabbage, the machine can also be configured for two-row planting on flat ridges depending on regional cultivation methods, further improving utilization on farms.
Furthermore, to ensure stable transplanting quality even in uneven terrain such as sloped fields or highland areas, the machine is equipped with a chassis leveling function. It is also designed to automatically adjust ridge height and planting depth, helping to maintain consistent transplanting quality. This structure enables seedlings to be planted vertically, improving establishment rates and contributing to stable growth and increased yields.
Notably, about two weeks prior to the event, the research team and Hada Co., Ltd. engineers were deployed in advance to the Yeongyang area to conduct field trials, allowing cabbage farmers to directly operate the machine and provide feedback for practical improvements. In addition, in late April, field training and application of the transplanter will continue for interested farms in preparation for pepper transplanting.
Although the weather in Yeongyang was somewhat chilly on the day of the event, many farmers and officials from related organizations attended, directly observed the new technology, and actively suggested improvement points and future development directions, making the event highly meaningful.
Hada Co., Ltd. plans to continue cooperating beyond technology development by expanding field verification to reduce labor burdens, prevent musculoskeletal disorders, and further connect these efforts to lower labor costs and increased farm income.
A representative of Hada Co., Ltd. stated, “Cabbage and pepper transplanting is one of the farming processes with the highest dependence on manual labor, making mechanization expansion critically necessary,” and added, “Through this field verification, we will actively reflect farmers’ feedback and further improve the transplanter technology to ensure rapid dissemination and adoption in real cultivation environments.”
Meanwhile, Yeongyang County Mayor Oh Do-chang, Yeongyang Agricultural Technology Center Director Jo Yong-wan, and Gyeongsangbuk-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services Director Jo Young-sook attended the event, reviewed the demonstration site, and expressed expectations for the wider spread of mechanization technology.
📌 Please also check out the field demonstration videos.
We have captured the cabbage & pepper automatic transplanter operation process demonstrated during this event on video.
▶ Cabbage & Pepper Automatic Transplanter Field Demonstration Video 01
▶ Cabbage & Pepper Automatic Transplanter Field Demonstration Video 02