Design concept for developing a back pack power mounted harvesting equipment for oil palm

摘要

Oil palm (Elaies guineensis) constitutes 33 per cent of the world's oil and fat export trade. Palm oil is the second major oil produced in the world after soybean oil (Goble, 2011). In India, oil palm is grown largely in Andhra Pradesh followed by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Oil palm starts yielding 24-30 months after planting. Each palm can produce 8 to 15 fresh fruit bunches (FFB) every year weighing about 15 to 25 kg each, depending on the planting material and age of the palm (Hazir et al, 2012). Harvesting of oil palm consumes major portion of the production cost of the plantation (Penna, 2011). It involves front integrated activities viz., cutting of fronds and fruit bunches, stacking the fronds, collecting the loose fruits and carrying the harvested fruit to the collection point (Jelani et al, 1998). In the pioneering days of harvesting oil palms, adult male workers performed the cutting and carrying of bunches, while women and children gathered loose fruit in baskets (Badmus, 1990). In the traditional method of harvesting of bunches, the operator reaches the top of the palm with the use of a plastic, rubber ropes or ladder. Another conventional method is harvesting with a specially designed knife attached to light weight bamboo or aluminum pole (Yak et al, 1981). All the conventional methods of harvesting oil palm fruit bunches are strenuous and time consuming (Jelani etal, 1999).