Meaning
The fruit picker is a hand-operated farm tool used in the agricultural industries for harvesting different types of fruit.
This harvesting tool is a relief to orchards and plantation owners and managers as it enables farmers to harvest their fruit with ease, unlike the traditional methods of harvesting fruits by shaking or using a long pole, which often leads to fruits falling on the ground and possibly leading to fruit spoilage.
The importance of this small farm tool cannot be overstated in plantation agriculture as harvesting fruit in the orchard or plantation can be very difficult if the right tools are not used, coupled with the fact that fruits are very fragile and can be easily infested by pest and diseases if not well harvested.
Harvesting fruit in the orchard requires adequate care as fruit can easily be damaged when not harvested with the right tools, and once harvested fruit hits the ground or soil during harvesting the portion that hit the soil will ripen first before the entire part which may eventually lead to the rotting and spoilage.
On the other hand, using the wrong tools to pick the fruit can easily pierce the fruit unknowingly to farmers which may serve as an entry point for pests and diseases.
The fruit picker is one of the most crucial farm tools for harvesting fruit in the garden, orchard, or plantation. Crops such as mangoes, apples, citrus, olives, cashews, cocoa, and coffee can easily be harvested with the use of this tool.
Description of the Fruit Picker
This tool is made of either carbon steel, aluminum, plastic, or a small metal rod. The tool is designed in the form of a small basket, bell shape, or a bag with pointed teeth.
The fruit picker comes in various forms and sizes, some have a small portion under where the handle is attached while others have a small portion by the side for the attachment of the handle. The tools have different types of handles depending on the height of the tree which could be short, long, or adjusted handles.
The handle is usually fixed or attached to the tool with the aid of a clipper, nuts, bolts, and binding wires. Some of these fruit harvesting tools are made of polyethylene bags with gap-toothed metal parts, and scissors-like teeth, while others are like baskets with fingerlike shapes for plucking or clicking the fruit pedicel to facilitate harvesting.
The tools especially the basket types have soft material at the base to prevent the fruit from hitting the metal base of the tool. The fruit-plucking tools come in different colors and are well-painted to prevent rusting and corrosion.
How to Use the Fruit Picker
The tool is designed to harvest fruit by using the principle of the human hand and that of a long pole to pluck the fruits.
Once the fruit to be harvested is identified, pick up the tool, stretch it to the fruit to be harvested, and hang the fruit pedicel on the gap-toothed metal part, scissors like a tooth, and fingerlike shape for plucking.
Then hit, cut, or pull the fruit pedicel with the toothed edge of the tool. The harvested fruit will fall in the bag, or the basket. Then harvesting is achieved.
Types of Fruit Picking
When shopping for these farm tools, it is paramount to take into cognizance the different types of fruit harvesting tools that are available in the market for efficient and effective usage. Some types of fruit pickers highlighted by forestry tools that are commonly used in the plantation industries are:
- Fruit picking Basket types.
- Fruit-picking bags types
- Fruit-picking telescopic types
- Three-point fruit picker
Fruit Picking Basket Types.
This type of fruit picker is made of a single metal rod put together to form a U or a bell shape. The singular rods are vertically arranged from the top to the base.
The singular rod is guided by a circular rod fixed together. The basket types of these fruit harvesting tools have one side higher than the other to create an effective room for fruit harvesting.
The tools are systematically designed to form a small round base. The small round base provides an avenue where the handle can be fixed.
The base of the harvesting tools is filled with soft materials to prevent the fruit from hitting the base of the tool to avoid wounding. This type of fruit harvesting tool is usually painted to prevent rusting and corrosion.
The tool is fixed or attached to the wooden or metal handle with the use of a clipper or binding wire.
Fruit Picking Bags Types
This type of tool just as the name signifies is made of plucking mechanisms and a bag’s systematic design together. The bag type of the fruit harvesting tool is made with a circular rod with a pointed sharp metal blade.
The circular rod is clipped together with polyethylene bags which the harvested fruit can fall into. The circular rod has a pointed edge that is hollow where the handle is fixed with the aid of a long nut and bolt.
The bag type is different from the basket types. The bag type is wider, bigger, and has a pointed cutting edge, used to cut the fruit pedicel while the basket is used to pull the fruit from the pedicel.
Fruit Picking Telescopic Types
The telescopic fruit harvesting tool is designed like the bag types but slightly different. The tool consists of a bag, a pair of scissors, and a handle with a mechanism to control the cutting edge from the down.
The telescopic tool is more powerful and technically advanced than the two above. The tool has small metal rods that are bent to form circular rings and have polyethylene sewn around the circular ring. The rod is bent and narrow such that it can be fixed towards the telescope tool.
The handle is well-designed, and it is made of two metal parts. The shear is controlled from the handle. The blade of the telescopic picker is made of stainless, and it is held together by nuts and bolts. The vertical rods are held together by a circular rod.
The telescopic fruit harvester is used to cut the fruit pedicel during operation, and the harvested fruit falls into the bags immediately after cutting.
Three Point Fruit Picker (or Fruit Grabber)
The three-point fruit grabber is similar to the telescopic types, but different because the three-point fruit harvested does not contain bags or baskets.
The tool has a long or adjustable metal handle that is controlled from the base. The plucking edge of the fruit grabber consists of three grabbing points which are used to grab the fruit during harvesting. At the base of the tool are two handles which are used to control the three fingers above.
During operation after successfully grabbing or holding the fruit with the help of the control mechanisms. The tool is forcefully pulled down to achieve plucking.
The tool holds the fruit firmly and does not fall into the bag unlike the bags or telescopic types. It is technologically and more technical than the telescopic types.
Functions / Uses of the Fruit Picker
The functions /uses of the fruit plucker in plantation agriculture are :
- Harvesting Fruits: the tool is used to harvest all categories of fruit crops such as mangoes, apples, cashews, and more. It has become a variable tool for harvesting crops in the orchards and plantations. Whether it is berry, cocoa, mango, or olive the tools can be used to harvest fruit with ease.
- Harvesting Hard-to-Reach Fruit: the tools provide an opportunity for harvesting hard-to-reach fruit. The handle of the tools comes in various sizes and lengths. adjustable handles also exist for harvesting fruit of different heights.
- Temporary Storage of Fruit: the fruit harvesting tools especially the bag types can be used for temporary storage of fruit until they are taken to the farmstead for storage.
- Transporting of Fruit: these tools are used to move fruits from one place to another or from the plantation or orchard to the farmstead. The bag type of this fruit harvesting tool is of good size and can be used to move small quantities of fruits from one tree to another.
Advantages of the Fruit Picker
The advantages of this fruit-harvesting tool are:
- it is the most efficient and effective tool for harvesting fruit crops.
- The tool helps to prevent fruits from falling to the ground.
- It helps to reduce fruit deterioration that arises from poor harvesting
- It aids clean harvesting of fruit.
- It prevents the piercing of fruit that is associated with the use of harvesting poles.
Disadvantage of the Fruit Picker
The disadvantage of Fruit Picker
- It is not as fast as other methods of harvesting fruit, especially the three-point grabber.
- It is more expensive compared to other methods of fruit harvesting due to its excellent qualities.
Maintenance of the Fruit Picker
The following maintenance practices should be observed while using the tool.
- Tighten nuts and bolts before use.
- Wash and sun-dried after use.
- Ensure that the fruit picker components are tightly fixed before use.
- keep the tools away from rodents, especially the plastic and bag types
- Keep the wooden handle in a termite-free area.
- Paint metal parts regularly to prevent rusting or corrosion.