Costs update of olive trunk shaker mechanical systems

Results of work rates and costs from field trials performed in Portugal over more than five years in olive orchards averaging 150 trees per hectare, was published by Almeida, A. et al (2001) and Peça, J. et al (2002). Olives were harvested using two main harvesting systems, both with the same trunk shaker, but in one (System I) olives detached were collected by canvas manually moved and in the other (System II) olives detached were collected with an inverted umbrella. Results showed that the time spent in the displacement between trees is very important for the work rate value. Labour based manual collecting was found to reach the higher working rates, whereas in terms of costs the inverted umbrella scored the best results. More than one decade after the publication of those results, equipment and labour costs are substantial different as well as olive production value. Costs are updated and analyzed the consequences for referred olive mechanical harvesting systems.

Costs update of olive trunk shaker mechanical systems Conference Paper