harvesting - agriseta...learner guide skills area: harvesting level: 4 unit standard: 116297 4...

Harvesting

Level 4

Title: Develop a Harvesting Plan for the Specific Agricultural Crop

Applied Title: Develop a Harvesting Plan for Citrus

Field: Agriculture and Nature Conservation

Sub-Field: Primary Agriculture

SETA (SGB): AgriSETA

Skills Area: Harvesting

Context: Citrus Production

US No: 116297 Level: 4 Credits: 3 Notional Hours: 30

Copyright ©

P.O. Box 461, Hillcrest, 3650

(031) 313-3364

Author: Mooipraatjies Based on the Production Guidelines of: Supported by:

Citrus Growers

Associatio

Learner Guide Skills Area: Harvesting Level: 4 Unit Standard: 116297

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CitrusGrowers Associati

Table of Contents Directions .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 5 1. Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 5 2. Learning Assumed to be in Place ..................................................................................................... 5 Revision of Level 3 ............................................................................................................................ 6 1. Harvesting Equipment and Tools ..................................................................................................... 6 2. Sampling and Maturity Indexing ...................................................................................................... 6 3. Harvesting Procedures ................................................................................................................... 7 4. Health and Safety Plan ................................................................................................................... 7 5. Waste Collection and Disposal ......................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 1 ........................................................................................................................................... 9 1. Introduction .................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2. Influencing factors ........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.1. Fruit Variety and Cultivars ............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.2. Market Specifications .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3. Weather Conditions ...................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3. The influence of these factors on the maturity of the crop is explained . Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1. Fruit Morphology ...................................................................................................................... 11 3.1.1. Peel Texture ............................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1.2. Peel Thickness .......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1.3. Fruit Shape and Size ................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.2. Fruit Colour ............................................................................................................................. 12 3.3. Juice Content ........................................................................................................................... 12 3.4. Total Soluble Solids (Brix) ......................................................................................................... 12 3.5. Titratable Acid ......................................................................................................................... 13 3.6. Acid to Sugar Ratio ................................................................................................................... 13 4. The Maturity Indexing Plan ........................................................................................................... 13 5. Maturity Indexing and Traceability ..................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 2 ......................................................................................................................................... 15 1. Introduction .................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2. Planning the Correct Use of Tools and Equipment ............................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3. Obtaining and Checking Tools and Equipment .................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4. Safety Precautions During Harvesting ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 5. Planning the use of Equipment .......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 6. Recordkeeping ................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 6.1. Orchard Inspection ................................................................................................................... 20 6.2. Picking bag Records ................................................................................................................. 20 6.3. Harvesting Records .................................................................................................................. 21 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 21 2. Developing a harvesting plan ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.1. Fruit Maturity ........................................................................................................................... 15 2.2. Labour Availability .................................................................................................................... 15 2.3. Weather Conditions .................................................................................................................. 15 2.4. Picking Time Available .............................................................................................................. 15 3. Citrus Markets ............................................................................................................................. 16 3.1. Processing ............................................................................................................................... 16 3.2. Local Market ............................................................................................................................ 16 3.3. Export Market .......................................................................................................................... 16 4. Informing the Workers ..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 5. Managing the Harvesting Plan through Recordkeeping ........................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 6. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 3 ......................................................................................................................................... 26 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 26


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2. The Health, Hygiene and Safety Plan ............................................................................................. 26 2.1. The Occupational Health and Safety Act ..................................................................................... 26 2.2. Market Requirements ............................................................................................................... 26 3. Implementing the Health, Hygiene and Safety Plan ......................................................................... 27 4. Health, Hygiene and Safety Checks ............................................................................................... 27 5. Access to Facilities ....................................................................................................................... 27 6. Recordkeeping ............................................................................................................................. 27 Chapter 4 ......................................................................................................................................... 29 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 29 2. Performing a Waste Audit ............................................................................................................. 29 3. Waste is Classified ....................................................................................................................... 29 3.1. Biodegradable Waste ................................................................................................................ 29 3.2. Non-Biodegradable Waste ......................................................................................................... 30 4. Recycling of waste ....................................................................................................................... 30 5. Waste Disposal Regulations .......................................................................................................... 30 6. Recordkeeping ............................................................................................................................. 30 Chapter 5 ......................................................................................................................................... 32 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 32 2. Developing a Maintenance Plan ..................................................................................................... 32 2.1. Mechanical Equipment .............................................................................................................. 32 2.2. Non-Mechanical Equipment ....................................................................................................... 32 3. Good Agricultural Practices ........................................................................................................... 32 4. Supporting Procedures and Implementation ................................................................................... 33 5. Recordkeeping ............................................................................................................................. 33 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................... 34


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Directions This learning material has been developed to assist the learner wishing to complete this unit standard. The guide contains all necessary learning to ensure that the learner will attain the competencies required by the unit standard. The learner guide is accompanied by a Learner Assessment Guide. Please ensure that you have access to this guide as well. The learner guide was designed to be used by a learner during the presentation of a skills program based on the unit standard, and to be kept afterwards by the learner for reference purposes. The learner assessment guide was designed to be completed during and after the presentation of the skills program, and forms part of the assessment process. Although this learner guide contains all the information required for attaining competency in this unit standard, references to additional resources, both printed and electronic, are provided for further study by the learner. Information in boxes is indicated by tags that show:


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Introduction 1. Purpose

A learner achieving this unit standard will be able to develop, implement and supervise different plans impacting on the harvesting of crops according to the necessary procedures making use of harvesting tools as described in the harvest plan. Learners will gain specific knowledge and skills in harvesting processes and will be able to operate in a plant production environment implementing sustainable and economically viable production principles. They will be capacitated to gain access to the mainstream agricultural sector, in plant production, impacting directly on the sustainability of the sub-sector. The improvement in production technology will also have a direct impact on the improvement of agricultural productivity of the sector.

2. Learning Assumed to be in Place It is assumed that the learner has successfully completed the unit standards listed below:

NQF Level Unit Standard Number Unit Standard Description

NQF3 Literacy and Numeracy

3 116268 Monitor and coordinate the harvesting of agricultural products

3 (F) 116269 Supervise the collection of agricultural data

3 116218 Explain the planning and scheduling of tasks in a production environment

3 116271 Monitor and supervise a food safety and quality management system in the agricultural supply chain


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Revision of Level 3 1. Harvesting Equipment and Tools

The tools and equipment that are used most often while harvesting citrus are clippers, gloves,

picking bags, ladders, bulk bins and picking trailers, and tractors.

Steel clippers are used to cut the stem of the fruit as close to the calyx as possible without injuring the fruit.

For some types of citrus, a glove is also used while harvesting, worn on the hand that touches the fruit.

Picking bags have a single strap and are slung over the shoulder of the picker, with fruit placed into the bag as it is picked, after which the bag is taken to a general collection point in the orchard where it is emptied into bulk bins or picking trailers.

Ladders are used during harvesting only when needed to reach fruit in the top of trees.

Picking bags are generally emptied into wooden or plastic bulk bins or into picking trailers.

Tractors are required to haul fruit out of the orchard and pickers to the point of harvest, and to transport full bins or picking trailers to the packhouse or the collection point.

In order to ensure the smooth operation of a picking team, procedures must be in place through which any equipment malfunctioning can be reported immediately to the supervisor so that corrective measures can be taken to limit the loss of productivity and damage to fruit.

A picking team supervisor must be able to think on his feet and solve any problems that might arise during harvesting, one of which is too much damage to fruit.

Citrus harvesting equipment is expensive and a significant amount of equipment is needed to carry out the harvesting process successfully and cost effectively.

On all harvesting equipment routine maintenance and checks are performed on a regular basis.

2. Sampling and Maturity Indexing

Maturity indexing takes place weekly form at least eight weeks before the predicted harvesting time.

Internal and external maturity parameters are measured and the result plotted on a graph.

Using this information the optimum harvest time can be predicted and decision relating to production and the employment of staff can be made.

Samples are normally collected by senior, experienced picker.

It is important that samples are marked and kept separate from each other so that test result will be accurate.

The results are plotted on a graph over time, and the trends that become apparent is used to predict future maturation and the expected picking date.


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3. Harvesting Procedures

Before harvesting can start a harvesting plan needs to be drawn up detailing when and where harvesting will take place.

Factors such as the weather, fruit quality, market conditions, expected yield and harvesting timeframe, must all be taken into account when harvesting is planned.

As a general guideline, harvesting should only take place when the fruit is dry, the temperature is between 13 and 30°C, relative humidity is lower then 70%, and for lemons not within two days after a cold front, especially if it was accompanied by rain.

Fruit should only be harvested once all internal quality parameters are met.

The harvesting plan will indicate which block of fruit must be harvested and how many pickers should be used to harvest the block within the specific timeframe.

Before picking starts, the supervisor must ensure that the team is prepared and trained, the equipment is sufficient and in good working order and that all other facilities are in place.

During picking, the supervisor must make sure that fruit safety and quality is maintained (fruit that are on the ground or hang low in the tree must not be placed with other export fruit, pickers may not run with bags containing fruit, bags must be emptied carefully, bins and trailers must not be overfilled, picking injuries must be monitored) and that there will be a constant supply of empty trailers or bins to the picking team.

Harvesting must take precedence over all other farming activities.

4. Health and Safety Plan

The best approach to implementing health and safety on a farm is to formulate and document a health and safety plan.

The requirements of accreditation systems and current legislation must be incorporated and adhered to when formulating the health and safety plan, and – more generally – the harvesting plan.

A health and safety plan incorporates different components, generally including reference to first aid, equipment, personal hygiene, protective clothing and equipment, emergency plan, and reporting procedures.

To ensure the effectiveness of the health and safety plan, critical areas that must be managed and monitored must be identified.

5. Waste Collection and Disposal

Effective waste disposal is essential in ensuring that spore-load in the orchard is kept low, and that

pests and diseases are not given breeding ground and the opportunity to survive from one season to the next.

It is important for us to be able to identify and classify waste correctly so that we are able to handle and dispose of it correctly.

During training before the picking season starts pickers must be made aware of the waste disposal plan that are in operation on the farm.

Most of the non-biodegradable waste are collected by the pickers and placed in bins in the picking area.


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Cleaning teams must be appointed to remove all biodegradable waste from the orchard after harvesting has taken place.

For biodegradable waste, monitoring must be done to ensure that all waste is collected and removed from the orchard.

For non-biodegradable waste, monitoring should include making sure that the right type of refuse is placed in the correct bin.

Records kept of the waste disposal plan must indicate all activities that form part of the plan as well as their effectiveness.

Maturity Indexing Maturity indexing is, simply put, the process of monitoring the physiological development of fruit as it ripens. A number of parameters can be used to measure maturity and changes in maturity, such as colour, firmness, juice content, and levels of sugar, acid, and carbohydrate.

Sampling Sampling means taking a representative portion of a whole for analysis. Always remember the first principle of any sampling, which is that a sample must be representative of the bulk of the medium that is being sampled. A sample is not a piece or a section of a whole, but rather a whole reduced to a manageable volume.

Pathogen A pathogen is anything that can cause a disease, such as bacteria, a virus or a fungal organism. Most postharvest diseases are caused by fungi, and we are therefore here mostly concerned with fungal pathogens.

Spore A spore is the small, usually one-celled reproductive structure produced by amongst others seedless plants, algae and fungi. In other words, fungal pathogens that cause postharvest diseases use spores to spread, which means that if we can keep the number of spores in the orchard – the spore-load – low, we can control the spread of diseases.

Biodegradable Biodegradable means made of substances that are able to decompose naturally.


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Chapter 1 After completing this chapter, the learner will be able to: Develop a maturity-indexing plan and interpret the data 1. Maturity Indexing

Fruit maturity refers to when fruit is ready to be picked and eaten. It is important not to confuse the terms ‘ripe’ and ‘mature’. They are usually used synonymously, but they actually mean different things. A mature fruit is one that has completed its growth phase. This will also ensure that it completes its ripening phase and reaches optimal quality for consumption, because a fruit cannot ripen until it reaches maturity. Ripening is the term used to describe the changes that occur within the fruit from the time it reaches maturity to the beginning of decay. These changes usually involve starches converting to sugars, a decrease in acids and a softening and change in the fruit's colour. Citrus fruits do not go through a ripening process in the sense that they become ‘tree ripe’. Some fruits, for example cherries, physically mature and then continue to ripen on the tree. Other fruits, like pears, are picked when mature but before they ripen, and then continue to ripen off the tree. Citrus fruits pass from immaturity to maturity to over-maturity while still on the tree. Once they are separated from the tree, they will not increase in sweetness or continue to ripen, meaning that the internal quality of the fruit will not change further. The only way change may happen after being picked is that they will eventually start to decay. It is very important to pick citrus only once the internal quality factors meet market requirements. With oranges, colour cannot be used as an indicator of ripeness because sometimes the rind turns orange long before the fruit is ready to eat. Measuring and testing internal quality is the only way to know whether or not they are ready to eat. While internal quality will not change after picking, the colour of the fruit can still change, with chloroform pigments being broken down further and carotene pigments developing. This is the mechanism that is used in degreening rooms, where the process is promoted by using the plant hormone ethylene. As long as fruit is picked after colour-break – meaning once the first chloroform pigments have started breaking down – fruit colour will develop further after picking. Citrus fruit can become over-mature if left on the tree for too long, with certain citrus types and cultivars being more prone to developing problems associated with over-maturity. Over-mature fruit is more vulnerable to postharvest diseases and have a shorter shelf-life than fruit that was picked at optimum maturity. It is furthermore important for the farm management to be able to predict when picking will start so that harvest planning can be done in good time. Internal quality factors that are used as maturity parameters and that must be monitored over time are fruit colour, total soluble solids (sugar content or Brix), acid content, sugar to acid ratio, and juice content. The process of monitoring these maturity parameters is called maturity indexing. Maturity indexing information assists in predicting the optimum harvest time and in deciding to which market fruit will be sent, which depends mostly on the internal and external quality of the fruit.

2. Citrus Fruit Maturity Periods The maturity of citrus fruit is generally determined by the citrus type and cultivar, and regional climatic conditions. The citrus ‘season’, which means the time of the year when citrus is harvested, stretches from March to as late as October in some areas, but the picking period for a single cultivar is normally between two and four weeks.


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On most farms there is a variety of cultivars and the cultivar mix is in most cases designed to stretch the harvest period, so that all the fruit on the farm does not have to be picked in the same two to four week period and so that resources can be used more efficiently. In table 1.1 are maturity charts for various citrus types and cultivars, and regions, as measured in the 2008 citrus season.

Cultivar March April May June July Aug Sept 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Mandarin & Mandarin Hybrid Maturity Periods in Cold Regions Note: Maturity per selection was based on a 3 week period peaking at a ratio of 11:1

Satsuma

Clementine

Fairchild

Nova

Minneola, African Sunset

Valley Gold, Kiyomi

Nectar

Nadorcott

Mor

Hadas Ellendale

Winola

Navel Maturity Periods in Cape Regions Note: Maturity was based on a 3 week period peaking at a ratio of 10:1

PEN (Exp)

Fukumoto

Newhall/Navelina

Fisher

Dream, Tulegold, PAN

Bahianinha

Palmer

Washington, Cara Cara

EDPN 1, Chislett

EDPN 2, Autumn / Summer Gold

Powell Summer, Witkrans

Lane Late, Cambria

LBN, SUN

DSN

Valencia Maturity Periods in Northern Regions Note: Maturity was based on a 3 week period peaking at a ratio of 10:1

Limpopo SL

Tambuti Early, Turkey

Mouton Early

Portsgate

Alpha

Midknight

Bennie 1


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Cultivar March April May June July Aug Sept 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Bennie 2, Bend 8A1 and 8A2

Jassie

Delta, Ruby

McClean SL

Lavalle

Grapefruit Maturity Periods in Northern Regions Note: Maturity was based on the minimum export ratio

Marsh, Nartia

Star Ruby

Ray Ruby, Henderson

Jackson, Nelruby, Flame

Rosé

Lemon Maturity Periods in Cape Regions (2006-2008 Seasons) Eureka

Eureka Seedless

Lisbon, Limoneira

Genoa

Fino

Verna Table 1.1: Maturity Charts

3. Maturity Development in Citrus Fruit

Although the expected maturity time for various cultivars and regions can be predicted with some accuracy, as can be seen from table 1.1, there may be small regional and yearly variations, depending mostly on prevailing weather conditions and, in some cases, production practices. While historically records are handy in predicting when the picking of the fruit of a particular cultivar should start, it is the maturity indexing that is done every year that gives the best indication of when the fruit will reach optimum maturity. Certain fruit characteristics are used as indicators of maturity and may develop differently or at varying rates from year to year. The development of these characteristics depends mostly on the weather conditions, although production practices may also play a role. These fruit characteristics are: • Fruit morphology • Fruit colour • Juice content • Total soluble solids (sugar content or brix) • Titratable acid • Acid : sugar ratio 3.1. Fruit Morphology

Rind texture and thickness, and fruit shape and size, are all directly influenced by temperature and humidity. Rind texture is determined early on during fruit development. Smooth-textured fruit is characteristic of cool, humid climates. These rinds are normally more easily damaged and have higher moisture content than fruit from hotter, more arid climates that tend to have coarser textured rinds. The thickness of the rind is mostly determined by weather conditions during the


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later stages of fruit growth. Temperature, humidity and water supply have the greatest influence. Water shortage during these growth stages will produce thicker skinned fruit with a lower juice contents. Cool, humid climates produce flatter fruit than warmer, arid climates. An example of the effect than climatic conditions can have on the size and shape of fruit can be clearly seen when looking at the easy rind type mandarins. Satsuma mandarins produced in cooler more humid conditions are usually flatter, smaller and have no necks, whilst those grown in warmer drier climates are usually rounder and bigger with a more pronounced neck. There are many more effects than climate can have on fruit morphology but they are mostly season related. In general, the more humid climates with smaller daily and seasonal temperature fluctuation tend to produce fruit with a smoother skin texture that is flatter in shape than fruit produced in drier climates.

3.2. Fruit Colour For citrus fruit to develop colour, there needs to be a notable difference between night and day temperatures – which is mostly why citrus is not grown commercially with great success in tropical areas, where the fruit tend to stay green, even after reaching internal maturity. External fruit colour is the result of the concentration of the green chlorophyll pigment and the orange or yellow carotene pigments in the citrus rind. Cool temperatures during the last six to sixteen weeks before harvesting promote the rapid breakdown of chlorophyll pigments and the increase of carotene pigments. Night temperatures of below 13°C are required for the process to begin. If there is for instance a late onset of winter one year, meaning if night temperatures remain high for longer, colour break will be delayed and the fruit will be picked later.

3.3. Juice Content Humidity and moisture availability have the biggest influence on the juice content of citrus fruit. Fruit with thick, coarse rinds tends to have less juice than fruit that was produced in cooler and more humid climates. Moisture stress during the later stages of fruit development has a direct influence on the juice content of fruit. This happens as moisture stress causes the cell development within the fruit to slow down. Underdeveloped cells contain less juice than fully developed cells. Higher temperatures, often associated with drier conditions, also tend to cause fruit to have less juice. The reason for this is that fruit respiration is higher in these conditions and more moisture loss occurs.

3.4. Total Soluble Solids (Brix) The sugar content of a citrus fruit is measured by measuring the total soluble solid content, or TSS, of the juice. About 70 to 90% of the soluble solids are sugar, but the total amount is usually given as the sugar content of the fruit. The TSS is also known as brix. The sugar content of a citrus fruit increases as the acid in the fruit breaks down. Higher temperatures cause acid to break down quicker and sugar levels to increase. However there does not appear to be a straight forward relationship between sugar content and temperature. In hot tropical climates with high night time temperatures and heavy respiration losses, the competition with vegetative growth for carbohydrates tends to cause lower sugar levels. However, if moisture stress sufficient to check growth during the later stages of fruit development occurs, then higher sugar levels develop. This can be achieved by regulating irrigation. In cool subtropical climates oranges tend to be lower in sugar than in warmer climates at the beginning of maturity. Sunlight hours are important, with the highest sugar levels occurring where the light intensity is the greatest.


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3.5. Titratable Acid The titratable acid in citrus fruit consists mainly of citric acid. In most citrus varieties, the breakdown of these acids in the fruit causes a rise of the sugar levels within the fruit. During the later stages of fruit growth, acid levels decrease as temperatures increase. At higher temperatures, acid levels tend to decrease more rapidly, resulting in lower acid levels during harvesting. This inverse relationship between acid and temperature has been found under orchard conditions with oranges, grapefruit, pummelos and mandarins. Lemons and limes on the other hand appear not to be influenced by temperature levels.

3.6. Acid to Sugar Ratio As fruit matures and the acid level in the fruit decrease relative to the remainder of the other soluble solids, the ratio increases. Once this ratio meets the required level, the fruit is classified as mature and ready to be harvested. If the fruit is left on the tree and the ratio becomes too high, fruit becomes insipid because the acid levels drop too low, and the fruit is classified as over-mature.

4. The Maturity Indexing Plan

To accurately predict when fruit should reach optimum maturity, maturity parameters are monitored weekly, starting from about six weeks before when harvesting is expected to begin based on historical trends. Twelve representative index trees are chosen and one fruit per tree, from similar positions on the trees and of similar size, are picked to make up the sample. This is done per unit, meaning per orchard or block or cultivar. The size of the unit for which a sample is taken should not be too large, because there may be variation in the rate of maturing, even among trees of the same cultivar. Samples must be taken from all the orchards and cultivars on the farm. The parameters of the sample fruit are determined, and the changes in the parameters over time are plotted on graphs, one for each cultivar or orchard. Minimum and maximum standards can be added to the graph. Trends will become evident on the graph and the picking date can be predicted and problem areas identified. Now that the start of the harvest can be predicted with some accuracy, the harvest plan can be developed and implemented, scheduling the harvesting for all the cultivars and orchards so that as much fruit as possible will be picked at optimum maturity, while using the available human and technical resources optimally. Maturity indexing information must become part of the permanent record, because it serves as proof that fruit met the required set maturity parameters when it was harvested. This may become necessary in case of a dispute. It is important to indicate on records kept of maturity indexing when and where fruit was taken from and tested. Records must be kept for each cultivar and orchard.

Chapter 1

A mature fruit is one that has completed its growth phase, while ripening is the term used to describe the changes that occur within the fruit from the time it reaches maturity to the beginning of decay.

Citrus fruits pass from immaturity to maturity to over-maturity while still on the tree. Measuring and testing internal quality is the only way to know whether or not they are ready

to eat.


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Internal quality factors that are used as maturity parameters and that must be monitored over time are fruit colour, total soluble solids (sugar content or Brix), acid content, sugar to acid ratio, and juice content, and the process of monitoring these maturity parameters is called maturity indexing.

The maturity of citrus fruit is generally determined by the citrus type and cultivar, and regional climatic conditions.

Although the expected maturity time for various cultivars and regions can be predicted with some accuracy there may be small regional and yearly variations, depending mostly on prevailing weather conditions and, in some cases, production practices.

Fruit characteristics that are used as indicators of maturity and that may develop differently or at varying rates from year to year are fruit morphology, fruit colour, juice content, total soluble solids (sugar content or brix), titratable acid, and acid : sugar ratio.

To accurately predict when fruit should reach optimum maturity, maturity parameters are monitored weekly, starting from about six weeks before when harvesting is expected to begin based on historical trends.

Maturity indexing information must become part of the permanent record, because it serves as proof that fruit met the required set maturity parameters when it was harvested.

Complete activities 1 and 2 in the Learner Workbook.


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Chapter 2 After completing this chapter, the learner will be able to: Develop the harvesting plan for the crops according to maturity indexing data 1. Introduction

2. Harvest Factors When developing a harvest plan there are certain factors that will have a direct influence on the plan. These are factors such as: • Fruit Maturity • Labour availability • Weather Conditions • Picking Time Available 2.1. Fruit Maturity

The fruit maturity indexing plan, as described in chapter 3, are used to obtain an indication of when fruit will be ready to be harvested. Maturity indexing is the main source of information used to determine when fruit will be harvested.

2.2. Labour Availability Citrus production in South Africa is normally concentrated in a few specific areas. This concentration of production and the fact that most producers in a specific area will harvest similar crops that are suitable to that area can cause a shortage of labour during the critical harvesting period. When the harvesting plan is developed the availability of labour must be taken into account.

2.3. Weather Conditions As citrus cannot be harvested when the fruit are wet or when humidity is to high, long term weather predictions must be obtained when the harvesting plan is designed. Long term predictions can be obtained from either the South African Weather Bureau’s website or from the Agri SA website. Prediction will give detailed information for up to a year in advance. Different varieties of citrus are sensitive to different weather conditions. For instance lemons cannot be picked within 48 hours after a cold front has passed. This is to inhibit the development of rind conditions such as Peteka spot. Ideally or citrus fruit should be harvested only when temperature are between 13 and 30 degrees Centigrade to lessen injuries to fruit.

2.4. Picking Time Available The picking time available is also known as the NPP or the Normal Picking Period. This is an indication of the daylight hours available during each of the normal harvesting months. As picking cannot take place early in the morning when fruit might be wet from overnight dew or the temperatures might be to low the picking hours per day are limited.


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The NPP per day available for each picking region can be obtained from the local Citrus Research International extension offices. These hours are determined by keeping records of the hours that harvesting was able to take place during previous seasons. The NPP will not only determine the amount of pickers that needs to be employed but also the length of the period that it will take to harvest a certain block or orchard of fruit.

3. Citrus Markets

Citrus fruit are sent to three different markets. The market that the fruit are destined for will determine what method of picking is used. The main uses of citrus fruit after harvesting are: • Processing • Local Market • Export Market 3.1. Processing

Citrus fruit destined for processing are usually sub-standard fruit that cannot be sold on the local or overseas markets. During fruit processing citrus fruit are processed into fruit juice concentrates and citrus oils. Citrus fruit that are picked for processing is usually processed within 24 hours of picking. This means that fruit that is processed are not likely to develop any post-harvest diseases after picking and in most cases even the development of diseases are not of concern as the processing actions will destroy all post harvest pathogens. Taking this into account; fruit for processing can be harvested using the most cost effective ways and that the handling of fruit is not as important as when picking fruit for other markets. The two methods most commonly used when harvesting citrus fruit is snap picking, where fruit is snapped of the tree by hand, or clipping, where fruit is clipped of the tree by using clippers. Of these two methods snap picking is the fastest and most cost effective but are more likely to damage fruit. When harvesting fruit for processing snap picking will be used as preventing injuries to fruit is not as important as when picking fruit for the export market and snap picking is more cost effective and can be preformed faster than clipping. Most commonly citrus fruit for processing will be harvested late in the season when fruit is over mature or trees are stripped to remove all fruit.

3.2. Local Market Citrus fruit are seldom harvested with the intention of sending the fruit directly to the local market. As in most cases a citrus farm can only be profitable if most of the produce is exported most fruit will be picked with the sole purpose of being exported. At the packhouse fruit is graded into different classes and the fruit not suitable for the export market are sent to the local market. This means that fruit going to the local market is harvested using the same clipping technique and careful handling as when harvesting fruit for export.

3.3. Export Market Export market fruit is picked using snap picking and careful handling. Utmost care must be taken when harvesting fruit for the export market to minimise injuries to the fruit. Any picking injuries can cause the development of post-harvest diseases or rind disorders.

4. Harvest Plan Components 4.1. Harvest Scheduling


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4.2. Harvest Resources

Citrus in South Africa are harvested using either the snap picking or the clipping technique. It is not recommended to use the snap picking technique when harvesting citrus for the export market as snap picking can easily damage fruit. Clipping on the other hand is a method that is simply taught and cause a lot less injuries to fruit. Snap picking in general is used when trees are stripped of fruit and all fruit are sent for processing. To accurately plan what tools and equipment is necessary for a certain harvesting period we need to know beforehand what type of harvesting we are likely to do. We also need an indication of how many staff we need to employs in order to complete the scheduled harvesting during the specified time period and we need to keep in mind any restrictions that weather condition might have on the harvesting process. Most citrus harvesting takes place during the winter months in South Africa. This means that daylight hours during which harvesting can take place is restricted. All these factors must be taken into account when planning the harvest. Once maturity indexing has been done to indentify when the fruit will be ready for harvesting and yield estimates are completed to indicate how much fruit is likely to be harvested a harvesting plan can be designed taking all the above mentioned factors into account. Long term weather predictions must also be obtained to ascertain that bad weather will not interrupt the harvesting procedure. As the daylight hours that are available to pick fruit in differ from region to region it is important that you obtain the information regarding the NPP or normal picking period from your local CRI Extension Office. As an example we will look at the picking hours available in the Western Cape area.

Month Picking Time (Hours per Day) March 7 April 6 May 5 June 5 July 5 August 6 September 6 Table 1.2 – Picking time available in the Western Cape region. Table 1.3 shows the expected yield for some of the most common citrus varieties in the Western Cape region. It also indicates the average picking rate for pickers using the clipping method of harvesting. Taking this information into account we can then determine the man hours needed to pick a hectare of fruit.

Cultivar Yield (ton/ha) Picking Rate (Kg/Hour)

Man Hours (per ha)

Navels 40 170 235 Valencias 50 170 294 Lemons 55 85 647 Oroval/Marisol 45 80 563 Other Clementines 45 60 750 Satsumas 50 60-80 833 Table 1.3 – Expected crop, average picking rate and man hours needed per hectare.


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In table 1.4 we now use all this information to determine how many pickers will be needed to harvest one hectare of a certain variety of citrus during a specific time period.

Cultivar Picking time Effective Picking Days

Available Picking Hours

Man Hours per Hectare

Pickers per Hectare

Miho Waste March/April (3 Weeks)

10 (7 x 5d) + (6 x 5d) = 65

833 12.8

Owari April (3 Weeks)

10 6 x 10d = 60 833 14.0

Marisol April (2 Weeks)

7 6 x 7d = 42 563 13.4

Oroval May (2 Weeks)

7 5 x 7d = 35 563 16.1

Other Clementines

May/June (5 Weeks)

15 5 x 15d = 75 750 10.0

Navels May/June (6 Weeks)

20 5 x 20d = 100 235 7.4

Valencias Aug/Sep (7 Weeks)

25 6 x 25d = 150 294 2.0

Lemons April/Jun (8 Weeks)

30 5 x 30d = 150 647 2.6

Table 1.4 – Pickers needed per Hectare Now we can determine the amount of pickers needed to harvest a certain amount of hectares of fruit during a specified time period. Table 1.5 gives an example of pickers needed when 10 days are available to harvest a certain amount of hectares of a certain variety of citrus.

Variety Picking Rate per

Hour (kg/hour)

Picking Time (Hours/day)

Picking rate per

day (kg/day)

Yield (Ton/ha)

Proposed Area (ha)

Pickers Needed

Miho Waste 60 6 360 50 7 97 Marisol 80 6 480 45 7 66 Nules 60 5 300 45 10 150 Clemlate 60 5 300 45 5 75 Navelina 170 6 1020 40 2 8 Palmer 170 5 850 40 5 24 Eureka 85 5 425 55 6 78 Shamouti 170 6 1020 45 3 13 Table 1.5 – Pickers needed to harvest. To explain this further look at the following example:

10 Ha of Nules must be harvested in 10 days in June. 10ha x 45t/ha = 450,000 Kilograms to be picked Number of Man days required to pick 450,000 Kilograms of Nules at 300 Kilograms per day: 450,000 Kg 300 kg per Day = 1500 man days

This means during the 10 day picking period 150 labourers per day will be needed


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Now that we have determined the labour need a schedule need to be designed to determine the amount of pickers needed in a certain week. Table 1.6 is an example of such a schedule.

Variety Week 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Miho Waste

97 97 97

Marisol 94 94 Nules 150 150 150 150 150 Clementine 50 50 50 50 Navelina 4 4 4 4 4 Palmer 12 12 12 12 12 Eureka 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 Shamouti 5 5 5 Total Pickers 97 97 127 124 286 192 192 188 238 76 81 55 5 26 26 Table 1.6 – Picking Schedule As we can see from the table week 17 to 21 is the busiest harvesting period. In order to save on labour and training costs most farms in this situation will employ a workforce of about 180 labourers for this harvesting period and try to spread out the harvesting during the crucial 5 week period by harvesting earlier cultivars earlier or delaying the harvest of some cultivars by chemical means. By using 180 pickers we can now determine the amount of tools and equipment needed and when it will be needed.

4.3. Health and Hygiene

4.4. Waste Disposal

5. Monitoring and Managing Harvesting

The harvesting plan once developed must be communicated to everybody that will take part in the harvesting process. Weekly and daily picking schedules must be developed to identify the amount of pickers required each week to facilitate the harvesting process. Daily schedules must be given to picking team supervisors who in their turn must ensure that all equipment and staff are available and ready to perform their duties. The method of picking must also be indicated on the harvesting schedule and the supervisor shall communicate any requirement to his team. In some cases, especially early in the harvesting period, selective picking will be required. Selective picking is done when only fruit that meets certain colour requirements are harvested. If selective picking are planned colour charts indicating the standards of the fruit that is to be picked must be supplied to each picking team to ensure that the fruit picked meets these requirements. Before a citrus producer are allowed to export fruit to overseas markets the producer are required to obtain accreditation from various accreditation schemes. Most commonly a producer will need to be accredited with GlobalGAP. GlobalGAP is system wherein Good Agricultural Practices are quantified and described. These practices not only include guidelines that should be followed during the production processes but also general guideline that should be followed during harvesting.


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Guidelines on how staff must be housed and what facilities need to be available to labourers are defined and must be adhered to when designing a harvesting plan. The harvesting plan must take into account all guidelines and requirements as pertaining to good agricultural practice schemes. Not only will this ensure a smooth and efficient harvesting process but can also ensure high staff productivity as well looked after labourers are more motivated and thus more likely to perform well.

6. Harvesting Records During the harvesting period records need to be kept to ensure that the harvesting plan is followed. Record must also be kept to ensure fruit and worker safety. Harvesting record is an important part of traceability. Knowing when and in what conditions fruit was picked is an important tool for the producer’s. The ability to know when and from where a certain fruit was picked can help eliminate problems with fruit from reoccurring. Another important commercial aspect that must be recorded is picker’s wages. On most farms pickers are paid for every bag they fill. It is thus important that structure must be in place to monitor this activity. Picking team supervisors are normally responsible of keeping record of how many bags per picker are picked; farm manager in their turn must then be able to corroborate the amount of bags picked with the weight of fruit harvested. 6.1. Orchard Inspection

Orchard inspection records are kept to ensure fruit and worker safety. Orchard inspections are done before and during picking and are the responsibility of the orchard supervisor. A good orchard inspection record will record the following: • Variety to be Picked • Method of Picking • Orchard and Block Number • Date • Time Picking Start and End • Picker’s Fingernail Inspection • Ladders Condition • Picking Bags Condition • Clippers Condition • General Handling Remarks • Picking Injury Monitoring • Condition of picking trailers and bins • Orchard Condition • Weather Condition • Fruit Colour • Condition of Roads • Tyre Pressure (trailers and tractors) • Transport Speed • Sanitation (orchard, trailers and bins) • Dead Wood in Orchard

6.2. Picking bag Records

Picking bag records are kept to determine the amount of money each picker earns. There are several electronic monitoring and scanning devices available in the market expressly for this use. On some farms though records are still kept by hand and need to be kept accurately and verified every day. Picking bag records must include the following information: • Date of Picking • Variety Picked • Orchard and Block • Supervisors Name • Pickers Name and Amount of Bags picked


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At the end of each shift the number of bags picked must be corroborated with the total weight harvested that shift. This is done by determining the average weight of a picking bag full of each different variety to be picked. This weight multiplied by the number of bags picked must correspond to the total weight picked during that period.

6.3. Harvesting Records Harvesting records are kept to determine the efficiency of the harvesting process. Harvesting record can also be used to determine the productivity and performance of different picking teams and to identify problem areas before they arise. Harvesting records must include the following information: • Date of Picking • Variety Picked • Picking teams used • Amount of fruit Picked • Injuries Monitoring Remarks • Fruit picked per Man Hour

Having this information help the producer to more effectively plan operations season after season.

6.4. Correlating Records

Daily planning schedules must be compared with records kept of fruit that was actually harvested. Comparing the actual performance of picking teams against the predicted performance will give ample warning of where and when any adjustments might need to be made to the harvesting plan. On a weekly basis all records must be correlated to ensure that the harvesting plan was followed and that teams are performing as predicted. Where necessary the harvesting plan can be adjusted. Any adjustment to the plan must be communicated to all the staff involved in the harvesting process. Records kept can be used to help develop and plan subsequent harvesting seasons. The better the records that are kept of the harvesting process the easier it will be to develop harvesting plans for the following seasons.


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Chapter 3 After completing this chapter, the learner will be able to: Identify, plan and obtain tools / equipment for the harvesting of the crop of the agricultural enterprise 1. Introduction

As is the case with most orchard farming, citrus harvesting is still done manually. Although there are constantly new developments in mechanical harvesting technology, no machine has been developed that does not cause a degree of damage to the fruit and the tree, because of the irregularity in size and shape of fruit trees. Citrus fruit needs to be handled with care while being harvested. Injuries to fruit can lead to the development of postharvest diseases and blemishes. In some countries where labour costs are high mechanical equipment, such as hydraulic positioning platforms, is used as labour saving devices. In South Africa though the costs involved in using such machinery cannot be justified, although research should be done before the start of each season to ascertain that no new technology are available that might save the producer cost and time. The citrus harvesting plan forms the basis of all harvesting operations that will take place on a citrus farm. The design, development and implementation of the harvesting plan must be done with care in order to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of harvesting operations. The incorrect design or implementation of the harvesting plan can lead to big financial losses for the citrus producer. As part of harvesting planning and preparation, the correct tools and equipment of the right quality must be procured in sufficient quantities. The citrus harvesting plan had been developed an indication of the number and type of tools needed can be gotten by looking at the number of pickers that will be employed during the busiest time. Tools and equipment that is purchased must be of a good quality that will last the season without needing replacing or constant repairs. Harvesting tools and equipment that was used during harvesting in the previous season also needs to be inspected for use and repaired where needed. Plans must also be developed indicating where and how tools and equipment should be used to ensure safe and sufficient operations.

2. Tools and Equipment Requirements

3. Obtaining Tools and Equipment The ordering of citrus equipment must take place in such a way that delivery takes place at least three weeks before picking starts. This is done to ensure adequate time to obtain more equipment if necessary or to replace equipment that is wrongly delivered. Always ensure that good relations are created with at least two or three different suppliers for the same tools and equipment to ensure a constant supply of good quality equipment. Equipment such as gloves, clippers, picking bags and ladders can be obtained from local suppliers such as farming corporations and other tool suppliers. Bulk bins wooden or plastic are usually leased from the manufacturers on a seasonal basis. Mechanical equipment such as picking trailers and tractors are obtained from approved vehicle supplier although in some instances picking trailers are manufactured by private suppliers by modifying other existing trailers.


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All tractors and picking trailers used for harvesting citrus should always be roadworthy and licensed. When receiving tools and equipment ordered for the harvesting of citrus checks must be performed to ascertain that these tools and equipment are in good working order and of the correct quality. Checks must also be performed on existing equipment that might have been used in the previous season to ensure that they are still in a serviceable condition. Table 1.1 gives a list of the tools and equipment used when harvesting citrus and the quality checks that should be performed on equipment.

Equipment Description Part Check for

Picking Clippers

Blades • Blades must be sharp • Blades must be aligned

Spring • Spring must open blades after

they have been closed • Spring should not be too stiff

Finger Loop • Loop must strong but pliable as to not injure pickers

Gloves Overall

• Must be strong and durable but soft enough not to damage fruit.

• Used gloves must be checked for holes.

Picking Bags

Overall • Check that the bags are made

of a sturdy material that are resistant to tears.

Strap

• Straps must be strong and securely attached to the bag

• Used bags must be checked for holes and tear. Any holes or tears must be repaired using thread not wire

• Straps should be long enough to handle a full load of fruit in the bag

• Bags with adjustable straps is preferable as it will increase ease of use for pickers

Quick Release Hinges

• Some picking bags will have quick release hinges that opens the bags at the bottom these must be strong and easily workable

Ladders

Hinges

• Check the ladder hinges for stability

• Hinges must be strong and open and close easily

Overall

• Ladders overall must be smooth with no sharp protruding parts that can harm fruit

• Ladders can be made from wood or aluminium, although aluminium is preferable as it is easier to keep sanitised

Bulk Bins Overall • Bulk bins are usually inspected by the manufacturer before


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being distributed. • When receiving bulk bins

ensure that they are dry and clean

• Bulk bins must be smooth inside

• Bulk bins must have no protruding screws that can damage fruit

• Plastic bins must be whole with no damage

Table 1.1 – Pre-Season Equipment Checks

4. Tools and Equipment Usage The tools and equipment most commonly used when harvesting citrus are: • Gloves • Clippers • Ladders • Picking Bags • Bulk Bins • Picking Trailers • Tractors In the level 2 and level 3 training material on harvesting all the correct procedures when handling these tools and equipment is discussed. To ensure that tools and equipment are used efficiently and that the equipment last; these procedures for handling and storage must be strictly adhered to and followed. Mechanical equipment such as tractors used during the harvesting process must always be operated by experienced staff that are tested and checked before the season start. Once the harvesting plan has been designed it can be established how many pickers and teams will be employed during the peak harvesting time. Using this planning we can then work out what equipment and tools will be needed and when it will be needed. Ordering and delivery of the equipment must be planned accordingly. In some areas mechanical equipment such as tractors and trailers can be rented during the harvesting period. Bulk bins are also normally leased from the manufacturing companies. Al these activities must be coordinated to ensure the timely delivery of tools and equipment. Tools and equipment used during the harvesting of citrus can pose dangers to staff and fruit. Staff must be instructed in the correct use of equipment and be made aware of the dangers that other mechanical equipment such as trailers and tractors can hold. In the level 2 and level 3 training modules methods and procedures are described on how to correctly handle equipment and tools to ensure fruit and worker safety. All activities on the farm including harvesting must adhere to legislation concerning workers safety. The Occupational Health and Safety Act as published by the Department of Labour must be adhered to in every facet of citrus farming. Other international accreditation systems can also specify specific guidelines concerning fruit and worker safety. In most cases overseas markets requires accreditation to one or more of these systems before a producer is allowed to send fruit to a certain market. To lessen the risk of injuries to fruit and workers alike, training of all staff must take priority on all production sites. During training workers must be made aware of all the inherent danger that


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mechanical and non mechanical equipment alike might hold as well as any emergency plans that are in place to ensure worker safety. The training period also offers the opportunity to emphasise the importance of correct fruit handling to ensure product quality and safety.


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Chapter 4 After completing this chapter, the learner will be able to: Develop health, hygiene and safety plans for the harvesting operation and moving the product to the processing point 1. Introduction

The development of a health, hygiene and safety plan is another important factor to ensure a smooth citrus harvesting operation. The heath, hygiene and safety plan is developed not only to protect the safety of workers but also to ensure fruit safety. Citrus fruit harvesting take place mostly using manual labour. This operation requires pickers to work closely with tractors and trailers and use equipment that can easily cause injuries to workers. Every person that takes part in harvesting operations must be made aware of the health, hygiene and safety regulations with regard to handling fresh produce and using the tools and equipment involved. It is the responsibility of farm management to make all workers aware of the inherent dangers that picking equipment holds and other areas of danger. In addition workers must be fully aware of what effect the specific actions that they are required to perform will have on fruit safety, and be trained in the correct manner to handle fruit and equipment to ensure fruit safety.

2. The Health, Hygiene and Safety Plan The requirements that the health, hygiene and safety plan must adhere to are stipulated firstly by the Occupational Health and Safety Act as published by the Department of Labour and secondly by the markets that fruit are destined for. 2.1. The Occupational Health and Safety Act

The occupational health and safety act is the overriding act that governs the safety of workers in the workplace. Compliance with this act is required by law. The act stipulates requirements that must be met to ensure worker safety. When designing the health, hygiene and safety plan for the farm the regulations as stipulated in the act must be adhered to.

2.2. Market Requirements Most markets will require producers to obtain accreditation from one or more independent accreditation scheme. The most common of these for farmers specifically is EurepGAP. EurepGAP is a set of guidelines and regulations concerning good agricultural practices that markets require farms to put into effect. The EurepGAP regulations are based on a three tiered approach looking at regulations pertaining to Food Safety, Environmental Responsibility and Social Responsibility. The aspect that influences the development of the health, hygiene and safety plan the most is Social Responsibility. Under the social responsibility heading the EurepGAP plan outline stringent measure on worker health safety and welfare. These measures must be applied and form part of the health, hygiene and safety plan.


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3. Implementing the Health, Hygiene and Safety Plan

Implementation of a well designed and developed plan will be of benefit not only to the farms workers by ensuring their safety but ultimately the plan will be of major benefit to the producer by regulating food safety and thereby ensuring a better quality fruit produced by a motivated well cared for workforce. The most important tool used when implementing a health, hygiene and safety plan is training. It is critical that training must start at the top of the farm management structure and work down. Everyone plays a role during harvesting operations must be trained and made aware of their responsibilities and duties. Another important aspect is first aid training. First aid training is normally done by an outside firm and forms an integral part of any health, hygiene and safety plan.

4. Health, Hygiene and Safety Checks To monitor the effectiveness of a health, hygiene and safety plan checks needs to be put in place. These checks must not only ensure that the aspects of the plan covering worker hygiene and safety are adhered to but also that fruit safety is assured. Daily pre-harvest checks that include team inspections must be performed during the harvesting period. An example of these checks can be found in chapter one. These checks are done to ensure that pickers comply with regulations and that orchard conditions are such that fruit safety will not be affected. Another important aspect of the health, hygiene and safety act is the sterilization of tools and equipment used during picking. Checks to ensure that tools and equipment such as clippers and picking bags are cleaned and sterilized on a daily basis is critical to ensure that any pathogens that might be found in one orchard are not transmitted to other orchards.

5. Access to Facilities In order to maintain the required hygiene levels adequate facilities must be made available to staff during the harvesting period. These must include ablution as well as sanitation facilities. Area’s where staff is allowed to have breaks and lunch must be clearly designated. The adequate supply of ablution and sanitation facilities ensures better hygiene standards. High hygiene standards are imperative to ensure fruit safety by minimising the risk of cross contamination.

6. Recordkeeping Recordkeeping is a critical tool to measure the effectiveness of the plan and to ensure that the health, hygiene and safety plan is implemented fully. To ensure that adequate records are kept critical points of control must be identified and records must be developed to show the effectiveness of the plan at these points. As each farm or production area is different and that means that the points of control are different for each farm. As each health, hygiene and safety plan are unique to the farm or production area it is developed for the critical points of control will be different for each plan. Some common areas that must be monitored to test the effectiveness of a health, hygiene and safety plan is: • Training Records

Must include Pickers Supervisors and First Aid Training Records

• Daily Staff Inspection Records


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• Daily Equipment Sanitation Records • Daily Orchard Inspections Records

Must include checking of Ablution and Sanitation facilities

• Fruit Injury Monitoring Records.

The better the recordkeeping process the more effective the health, hygiene and safety plan will become, as record can be used to improve the plan by highlighting areas where the plan might not be sufficient.

Chapter 3

When developing a health, hygiene and safety plan legal requirements as set apart in the occupational health and safety act must be adhered to.

Independent accreditations schemes can stipulate other requirements that must be adhered. Implementing a health, hygiene and safety plan is of benefit to both the workers and the

producer. Training is the most important and effective way to implement the plan. Monitoring the effectiveness of the plan is done by establishing check points. Checks point

must be monitored and actions recorded to determine the plans effectiveness. Adequate ablution and sanitation facilities must be available to staff during harvesting. Records must be kept to show the effectiveness of the plan and used to improve the plan. As every farm or production area is different, recordkeeping procedures will be unique to each

farm or production area.

Complete activities *,* and * in the Learner Workbook. Develop and design a health, hygiene and safety plan taking all the different influencing facets into account and the records to show the efficiency of the plan. Design records to monitor the plans effectiveness


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Chapter 5 After completing this chapter, the learner will be able to: Develop the plan for the disposal of waste as prescribe by the different rules and regulations and adhering to company policy 1. Introduction

One of the requirements of any accreditation scheme is the responsible disposal of waste. It has become more and more important for the citrus producer to look after the environment in order to ensure sustainable farming. Not only is effective waste disposal critical to ensure sustainable farming but it can also prevent the spread of pathogens from one area of the farm to another. By limiting the spread of pathogens instances of infection can be lessened and fruit productivity increased.

2. Performing a Waste Audit Before a waste disposal plan can be developed the types of waste that may be produced during the harvesting period needs to be identified. This is done by performing a waste audit. A waste audit is performed by looking at all the aspects and processes that makes up the harvesting process and identifying all the waste that might be created by the process. Looking at a typical harvest process the two areas where most waste are created are waste caused by fruit and trees and then waste caused by the presence of humans in the orchard. Another area of concern that does not apply to all farms or productions areas are waste that is produced when mechanical equipment such as tractors is serviced.

3. Waste is Classified Once a waste audit has been performed identifying waste that is produced, waste needs to be classified. After classifying waste ways of collection and disposal can be planned and implemented. Waste produced during harvesting are usually classified into two distinct groups; biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. 3.1. Biodegradable Waste

Most of the waste produced during the harvesting period is made up of plant matter. This is old or infected fruit and dead and dry wood from trees. To remove biodegradable waste teams must be appointed that clear the orchard directly after harvesting of all biodegradable waste. Teams should also clear orchards before harvesting to lessen the risk of contamination. Fruit waste is disposed of by either chopping up waste and dispersing it over a wide area to dry or by burying the waste at least 400 metres away from the orchard ad at least 30cm deep. Other biodegradable waste such as dead wood and leaves are most commonly disposed of by burning. When burning biodegradable waste care must be taken to ensure that burning is done well away from established orchards. Preferably burning must take place in prepared pits to prevent the fire from spreading and covered again after burning.


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3.2. Non-Biodegradable Waste Non-biodegradable waste is further reclassified into recyclable waste and non-recyclable waste. All non-biodegradable waste must be collected daily by refuse removal teams. To facilitate this process bins demarcating different waste types such as glass, plastic, paper and other waste must be made available at harvesting sites. The distribution of these bins must form part of the waste disposal plan and are planned in conjunction with the waste disposal plan with the harvesting plan. All recyclable waste is sent to local recycling centres and non-recyclable waste must be disposed of by following local municipal regulations.

4. Recycling of waste

The recycling of waste is a prerequisite of most independent accreditation schemes. Recycling is an important part of ensuring sustainable farming by minimising the carbon footprint of the farm or production area. On any farm or production area recyclable waste are created mainly by human actions rather than industrial operations. This means that the amount of waste produced is not sufficient to justify the development of recycling plants on most farms or production areas. This means that local recycling centres must be indentified and used for recycling. It may also be necessary to construct waste storage facilities where waste can be stored until it can be taken to recycling facilities.

5. Waste Disposal Regulations Waste disposal are not only strictly regulated by local and national laws and regulations but accreditation schemes such as EurepGAP, that a producer must comply with before he can export fruit, also specifies actions that must be followed when disposing of waste. The EurepGAP and other GAP schemes all requires a producer to strictly adhere to stringent measures concerning waste and pollution management, recycling and re-use and general environmental issues. All waste management and disposal plans must adhere to all local and national regulations concerning the handling of waste. Stipulations concerning the handling of waste that specific accreditation schemes might have must be strictly followed and implemented. Depending on the producers target market accreditation to different accreditation schemes will be required.

6. Recordkeeping As with all other procedures that form part of the citrus harvesting process, recordkeeping is critical to monitor the effectiveness of the waste management and disposal plan. Records must be kept to show how much waste is collected on a daily basis as well as how this waste was disposed of. Any waste that was not collected must be noted and reason provided why the waste was not collected. Records must be used to kept and used to identify problem areas and ways to improve the waste management and disposal plan. Records are also kept to proof compliance to regulations that must be adhered to.

Chapter 4

To facilitate the development of waste disposal plan, waste must first be identified by performing a waste audit.

After the waste audit has been performed, waste must be classified to determine the most


31


effective manner of disposal. Waste is classified into non-biodegradable and biodegradable waste. Most non-biodegradable waste must be recycled. The waste management and disposal plan must adhere to regulations predetermined by local

and national authorities as well as any waste disposal regulations stipulated by accreditation schemes.

Records of waste management and disposal must be kept not only to show the effectiveness of the plan but also be used to improve the waste disposal plan where needed.

Complete activities *,* and * in the Learner Workbook. Develop and design a waste management and disposal plan taking all the different regulationsinto account and the records to show the efficiency of the plan. Design records to monitor the plans effectiveness


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Chapter 5 After completing this chapter, the learner will be able to: Develop a plan for the proper care and maintenance of the equipment used 1. Introduction

Citrus harvesting equipment is expensive and a huge amount of equipment is needed to carry out the harvesting process successfully and cost effectively. To ensure that equipment stays in a good and well sustained order regular and effective maintenance is needed. To ensure that maintenance is done in a manner that will prolong the life and usefulness of equipment a maintenance plan must be developed. A good maintenance plan must ensure equipment longevity and thereby reducing replacement costs.

2. Developing a Maintenance Plan When developing a maintenance plan, several different factors must be taken into account. Citrus harvesting tools and equipment are normally sub-divided into two different categories. These are mechanical and non-mechanical equipment. 2.1. Mechanical Equipment

Mechanical equipment most commonly used when harvesting citrus in South Africa include tractors and picking trailers. Al mechanical equipment must be serviced on a regular basis, adhering to guidelines given by the equipment manufacturer. The servicing of mechanical equipment is a specialized process that must be handled by professionals that are normally not based on the farm but in some cases may be.

2.2. Non-Mechanical Equipment Non-mechanical equipment incorporate all other equipment used on a daily basis by the picking teams. This includes clippers, picking bags, gloves and ladders. The maintenance tasks that need to be performed on these pieces of equipment and tools are defined in the level 3 harvesting training material. The responsibility to ensure that bulk bins are in a suitable condition for use whilst harvesting rest with the bulk bins supplier. If during pre-harvest inspection, the picking team supervisor finds a bin unsuitable for use the bin will be returned to the manufacturer and be replaced.

3. Good Agricultural Practices

Any citrus producer targeting an overseas market is required, by the market, to get accreditation from one or more international accreditation schemes. The most common of these schemes are GAP schemes. GAP schemes specify actions that must be followed to ensure good agricultural practices take place on the farm. These good agricultural practices schemes specify what the best and most effective way is to structure maintenance. When developing a maintenance plan attention must be given to these criteria to ensure that the plan developed for a certain farm or productions area complies with these guidelines.


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4. Supporting Procedures and Implementation To ensure efficient and effective maintenance other procedures needs to be put in place to support the maintenance plan. As with most facets of citrus harvesting, training is the most important tool used when implementing a maintenance plan. When training workers; areas of responsibility must be clearly defined and workers must be made aware of the role they have to play in order to ensure effective maintenance. Supervisors and team leaders who are mostly responsible for equipment and tools must be taught how and when to apply maintenance procedure. Training procedures teaching pickers how to use tools and equipment correctly will ensure that the lifespan of tools and equipment are maximised.

5. Recordkeeping The only way to effectively monitor the implementation and ongoing effectiveness of the maintenance plan is through recordkeeping. Records of how and when maintenance tasks are performed must be kept. On these records the effectiveness of the maintenance plan must be measured and any irregularities must be noted. Records are an important way to ensure that problem areas is identified and ways to improve the maintenance plan are implemented.

Chapter 5

Equipment and tool maintenance is important to ensure the efficiency of the harvesting process.

To design and develop a maintenance plan different factors must be taken into account. Guidelines a given by GAP schemes must be adhered to when developing a maintenance plan. Training is the most important tool used when implementing the maintenance plan. Recordkeeping is important to highlight areas where the plan can be made more effective.

Complete activities *,* and * in the Learner Workbook. Develop and design a maintenance plan. Design records to monitor the plans effectiveness


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Bibliography

harvesting - agriseta...learner guide skills area: harvesting level: 4 unit standard: 116297 4...

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