1. A Novel Portable System For Improving Accuracy Of Reimbursement For Fruit Picking

Various methods for reimbursing pickers have been employed worldwide, with most fruit growers now paying a piece-rate to small picking teams for bins (e.g. for pome fruit) or for buckets (e.g. for sweet cherries, blueberries).  Regardless, paying piece-rate is beset with inaccuracies that cause significant financial losses. Our tests in commercial sweet cherry and apple orchards revealed variability of 25 – 30% of final weight among bins and buckets. For example, in sweet... Y.G. Ampatzidis, M.D. Whiting