Future labour: harvest

January 2016 | Craig Hornblow and Jonathan Brookes, AgFirst | Future Orchards® Orchard Walk notes

Harvest is one of the largest and most time-critical labour demands in an orchard. These notes examine how growers can improve harvest productivity by looking at the whole system rather than simply asking pickers to work faster.

The resource considers orchard layout, crop distribution, supervision, picker movement, bin placement, ladder use and the potential role of platforms. It encourages growers to identify where time is being lost and to separate productive picking time from unnecessary travel, handling and waiting.

A recurring theme is that harvest efficiency is influenced by decisions made long before harvest. Tree height, canopy width, fruit distribution and crop-load management all affect how quickly and safely fruit can be picked. The notes provide a practical basis for measuring harvest performance and planning future improvements.