Improving harvesting efficiency in your orchard

2016 | Presented by Craig Hornblow, AgFirst | Future Orchards® video

Craig Hornblow examines the practical factors that determine how efficiently a harvest crew can move fruit from the tree to the bin. The presentation focuses on changes growers can make within the current season as well as longer-term orchard design decisions.

Harvest efficiency improves when fruit is easy to see and reach, pickers do not waste time moving ladders or bins, and supervisors can quickly identify quality or productivity problems. The presentation also considers platforms and other mechanised aids as part of a broader labour system.

The video is particularly useful for growers wanting to review harvest after a season. It encourages managers to compare blocks, identify sources of wasted time and use those observations to guide pruning, crop-load and orchard-development decisions for future years.