Recently, Cainiao successfully won the bid for the Zhejiang Xitang Agricultural Digitization Upgrade Project and will build a fully automated and unmanned modern grain storage system in the local area, creating a leading “unmanned grain warehouse” in China. Robotic arms, AGV robots, and four-way shuttle vehicles and other automated equipment will all appear in the warehouse.

The agricultural production area in Xitang, Zhejiang is about 50,000 mu, of which the rice planting area is about 40,000 mu, ranking first in the county in terms of rice planting area. However, the quantity is large but the quality is not high, and the integration of the industry, the recognition of the brand, and the ability to command a premium are all insufficient.

“Revitalizing the countryside, industry is the key”. “Agricultural production often relies on experience, but modern agriculture can also achieve standardized production like industry, thereby obtaining higher production efficiency, stronger industrial advantages, and more abundant economic value”, said a Cainiao technician.?

In the field of logistics, Cainiao's warehouse automation has always maintained a leading advantage in the industry. In Wuxi, Jiangsu, Cainiao has built the largest unmanned warehouse in Asia using flexible automation technology. Over 1000 unmanned vehicles can be quickly combined and separated for operations, increasing production efficiency by more than double.The digitalization level of Cainiao's bonded warehouse and consolidation warehouse is also among the best in the industry.

According to the plan, Cainiao will introduce its self-developed warehouse management system and fully automated equipment into the agricultural production field. After the grain is taken off the production line, it will enter the “unmanned grain warehouse” built by Cainiao. In this grain warehouse, Cainiao has deployed automated equipment such as robotic arm stacking system, AGV handling system, four-way pallet shuttle storage system, AGV goods-to-person picking system, etc., enabling truly unmanned operation of grain storage.?

Meanwhile, Cainiao will also serve as a local operation and distribution coordination center. The central hub combines the traditional offline order sales model of food with online shopping, sharing a set of warehousing and logistics systems for both different sales models.?

Traditional offline orders are generally manually operated, with low efficiency in processes such as warehousing, storage, and outbound, and high labor costs. Introducing automation can greatly reduce costs and increase efficiency. The products sold through e-commerce can be picked, packaged, and shipped within the warehouse using the AGV goods-to-person picking system.

According to Cainiao, “On the one hand, it will enable the local existing 20,000 acres of ordered agriculture to operate more efficiently, and on the other hand, it will help grain-producing areas explore a new path of rice development with more brand value and premium attributes through the Internet”.?

Currently, the project has been included in the “2022 Agricultural and Rural Major Project Implementation Plan” of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.