Using the blueberry mechanical harvest can reduce costs by 80% and improve labor productivity.
The success of a blueberry harvester depends on both effective fruit maintenance and the readiness of the plantation for mechanical harvest. However, various plantation conditions play a critical role in transitioning from hand-picking to mechanical harvesting. Several actions need to be taken during planting to reduce the losses of fruits below 5%. JAGODA 300 blueberry harvester achieved a new record by minimizing the loss of fruit compared to other harvesters in the market.
Raised-Bed Configuration:
- The JAGODA 300 blueberry harvester features low-positioned catcher plates, positioned just 30 cm/12 inches above the ground at a minimum. This strategic design optimizes fruit collection closer to the base of blueberry bushes, minimizing losses and ensuring a complete harvest.
- For optimal efficiency, raised beds with heights ranging between 20 cm/8 inches and 30 cm/12 inches, and widths from 30 cm/12 inches up to a maximum of 75 cm/28 inches, enhance productivity. However, the JAGODA 300 is not confined to raised beds! Its adaptability allows for efficient operation on flat-bed configurations as well.
Narrow Crowns, Lower Losses: Optimizing Blueberry Mechanical Harvest
Narrow blueberry crowns are key to minimizing fruit loss during blueberry mechanical harvest. Wide crowns lead to fruit getting lost when catcher plates open around the bush. Some techniques involve using plastic tubes during the first years of planting.
Our Solution:
- Innovative low-catcher plates: Rigorously tested for peak performance.
- Proven results: 2-8% fruit loss across various varieties.
- This remarkable outcome is primarily attributed to the strategic design and placement of these innovative catcher plates around the blueberry bushes, as well as the critical role played by regulating both the height (ranging from 30 cm/12 to 70 cm/28 in) the ground level and the incline of the catcher plates
Experience the difference – harvest more, lose less!
Blueberry Bush Shaping and Pruning for Efficient Blueberry Mechanical Harvest:
- Removing low-growing shoots: Target shoots below 35 cm (14 inches) from the ground to encourage upward growth and better fruit production.
- Minimizing crown width: Prune branches outward to maintain a manageable width, facilitating easier harvesting and light penetration.
- Using special shields for new plantings during the first two years. These shields help develop a narrow, single-stem bush with several benefits: Reduced need for pruning, and protection from herbicide (for some varieties). However, after removing the shields, further pruning is necessary at the base of the plant to maintain a narrow stem.
Row Spacing:
- For smooth operation and maximized harvest, ensure your rows are spaced between 2.5m (8ft) and 3m (10ft) apart. Additionally, allow wider spacing at the end of rows (7m/23ft – 9m/30ft) to accommodate U-turns with ease. The JAGODA 300 blueberry harvester includes steering wheels that facilitate optimal maneuverability, especially during u-turns.
Advantages of the JAGODA 300 Blueberry Harvesting Machine:
- Labor Reduction: Reduces the need for manual labor, increasing operational efficiency.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Tow-behind trailed design is more economical compared to self-propelled blueberry harvesters, providing a quick return on investment for farmers.
- Fruit Cleaning with Dual High-Speed Fans: Equipped with dual high-speed fans operating at 1000 turns per minute for thorough fruit cleaning.
- High Capacity Harvest: Capable of efficiently harvesting a large volume of fresh and processed fruits.
- Plantation Preservation: The innovative design of our Vertical Shaking System incorporates two 920 shaker heads, assuring a damage-free blueberry plantation post-harvest.
- Near Elimination of Green Fruits: Customizable shaking elements and different sizes with different degrees of rubber hardness fingers reduce the presence of unripe fruits, adapting to different fruit varieties and ripening times.
- Cost Savings in Growing Blueberry Industry: Addresses challenges such as labor shortages, rising costs, and low harvest efficiencies prevalent in blueberry production worldwide.
JAGODA 300 Minimizes Blueberry Bruising
Tired of bruised berries hindering your profit margins? Look no further than the JAGODA 300 blueberry harvesting machine! Featuring a gentle, single-drop conveyor system for optimal fruit handling. There’s more! Alongside the benefits of the 920 shaking head, our shaking column incorporates sun-shaped shaking elements to minimize fruit bruising:
- Adjustable Shaking Elements: Our unique sun-shaped shaking elements come in soft, medium, and hard rubber options, adapting perfectly to diverse blueberry varieties.
- Tailored Finger Lengths: Choose between 25 cm (10 in) and 50 cm (20 in) plastic fingers, or even combine them on the same shaking head for maximum flexibility.
- Double Shaking Element: Target even the highest berries with the optional double element star, ensuring a complete and efficient harvest.
The harvester is characterized by high-quality workmanship and exclusive design:
- Easy Maneuvering: Steering wheels ensure efficient movement and tight turns.
- Adjustable picking tunnel accommodates diverse plantation setups ( 2.93 m to 3.53 m)
- Wireless Control: The operator enjoys control of the wireless panel from different locations.
- Versatile: Harvests in open fields, in pots, with poles, T-shaped support posts, or trellis systems.
- Gentle on Shrubs: Collects fruit from low bushes with minimal damage.
- Adjustable Shaking: Innovative 920 head adapts shaking force for various needs.
- Powerful & Durable: Requires 70 hp tractor and operates in high temperatures.
- Flexible Storage: Offers multiple configurations for storing harvested fruit.
- Convenient Fruit Collection: The hydraulic platform simplifies fruit collection in transport or working position.
- Optional Sensor Centralization: Ensures precise alignment with bush rows for optimized harvest.
- Optional Electromechanical Leveling Sensor: Maintains horizontal stability regardless of ground unevenness.
Celebrating Excellence: JAGODA 300 Blueberry Harvester Receives Prestigious Awards in 2024 and 2022
Unsure if mechanical harvesting is right for your blueberry farm? Let us help! Contact us today for a personalized assessment of your plantation’s suitability for JAGODA 300. We’ll help you choose the right solution to maximize efficiency and profitability on your farm.