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Citrus Mechanical Harvesting -Realizing the Potential

Citrus Mechanical Harvesting -Realizing the Potential. Presentation to the FDOC Citrus Commissioners Lakeland, FL November 16, 2005 Fritz Roka UF/IFAS - SWFREC. Today. Hand harvest, pick & roadside $1.50 - $1.60 /bx Machine harvest, shake & catch

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Citrus Mechanical Harvesting -Realizing the Potential

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  1. Citrus Mechanical Harvesting -Realizing the Potential Presentation to the FDOC Citrus Commissioners Lakeland, FL November 16, 2005 Fritz Roka UF/IFAS - SWFREC

  2. Today • Hand harvest, pick & roadside • $1.50 - $1.60 /bx • Machine harvest, shake & catch • $1.30 - $1.35, includes gleaning (98% in the trailer) • $60 – 125 /ac savings

  3. Trunk-Shake & Catch • Shaker, receiver, goat • 3 people/set • 5-12 sec shake • 95% removal • Skirt & prune trees

  4. Continuous Canopy-Shake & Catch • 2 Shakers, 2-4 goats • 4-6 people/set • ½ - 1¼ mph • 95% removal • Skirt & prune trees

  5. Avg. Performance Statistics Statistics compiled from 1999 – 2004.

  6. Tractor-drawn Canopy-Shaker • 1 Shaker w/ Tractor • 15-30 hand crew • ½ - 1¼ mph • 95% removal • No need to skirt or prune trees Pick-up machine under development

  7. Impediments to Adoption • Plentiful harvest labor (prior 2004-05) • Cost of grove prep • Concern for tree productivity/health • Grower insistence for Gleaning • The “Late Season” Problem • Excess capacity of existing systems • Savings not big enough yet

  8. Push machine capacity BX/HR better groves *HR/DAY more trailers *DAY/YEAR abscission = BOXES/YEAR Multiplicative impacts

  9. Roadmap for MH Industry Commitment

  10. 75¢ - 5 years Feasible with Commitment

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