AI-Powered Mango Grading: Bengaluru Startup Unveils Game-Changer

A Bengaluru-based machine vision startup, Zentron Labs, in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), has introduced India’s first mobile auto defect detector for mangoes. This innovation aims to eliminate losses for farmers by ensuring only premium-quality mangoes make it to the market.

Funded under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, the project will supply one X-ray-based detection machine to the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Limited (KSMDMCL). Unveiled at the National Horticulture Fair 2025 in Hesaraghatta, the machine scans mango crates to detect internal defects like seed weevil damage and spongy tissue—flaws invisible to the naked eye.

Capable of grading up to 10 tonnes daily, the machine leverages Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to assess quality, featuring a 15-inch touchscreen for real-time monitoring. While commercial sales are at least two years away, farmers and traders can lease it for Rs 30 per dozen to check Alphonso mangoes, which are highly sought after globally.

Zentron Labs has also developed advanced optical graders for sorting round fruits by size, color, weight, and visible defects. These machines, priced at Rs 25 lakh each, can process one tonne per hour and are set to revolutionize fruit grading for apples, dragon fruits, pomegranates, and tomatoes.

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