Netafim acquires Treetoscope to embed real-time plant water-demand sensing into drip irrigation

Orbia's Netafim division has completed the acquisition of Treetoscope, an Israeli AgTech startup whose ultrasonic trunk sensors measure actual plant water consumption in real time. Financial terms were not disclosed, but sources familiar with the deal value it at approximately $28M. The strategic logic is clear: Netafim's existing digital platform, NetBeat, schedules irrigation based on soil moisture sensors, weather data, and evapotranspiration models. Treetoscope's direct plant measurement eliminates the guesswork, creating what Netafim CEO Gaby Miodownik calls 'the first truly plant-centric irrigation system.' In combined trials across almond orchards in California and avocado groves in Israel, the integrated system reduced water usage by 18% versus sensor-only scheduling while maintaining or slightly improving yield. The water savings alone translate to $120–$180 per hectare per season in California water-cost environments. For Netafim, the acquisition also strengthens its carbon and sustainability narrative. Precision water management directly impacts Scope 3 emissions for food companies sourcing irrigated crops — a growing procurement criterion in EU due-diligence regulation. The deal accelerates the consolidation trend in digital irrigation: Rivulis acquired CropX in 2025, and Lindsay Corporation integrated Arable's sensors into its pivot systems. The winners in this space will be full-stack providers that own the sensor-to-valve data loop.