ISHS Acta Horticulturae 155: VIII Symposium on Horticultural Economics
HOW TO RATIONALIZE HARVEST AND TRANSPORT IN SMALL STRUCTURED VEGETABLE FARMS |
| Author: | D. Aust |
| Abstract:
The Landwirtschaftskammer Rheinland (Chamber of Agriculture Rhineland) as the representative of the official advisory service takes care of about 1.500 intensive vegetable farms with a total area of about 4.500 ha. Farm sizes reach from 1 ha to 15 ha. Marketing is managed mainly by vegetable veilings which supply the fresh market. There are also vegetable crops for the tinning industry with a fully mechanized harvest which is not to be discussed in this paper. In the intensive vegetable crops for the fresh market costs of labour amount to 50 % of production costs. Harvest and transport can total up to 90 % of labour costs. Nevertheless the productivity of labour is not sufficient. For example, the average family income amounts to ony 30.000 DM; the gross margin seldomly goes beyond 15 to 20 DM per hour. The high quality standard of the market system only permits a partial mechanization of harvest which results in a high hand work requirement. I would like to emphasize the hard physical conditions of labour in vegetable crops which can be the reason for permanent physical damages. In spite of the importance of labour in vegetable crops there has been comparatively little ergonomical inquiry or research in Germany. There is a lack of ergonomical specialists who fulfil the methodical and practical requirements to carry out exact inquiries. Fortunately, universities provide the background knowledge in in ergonomics. This situation in vegetable crops caused the chamber of agriculture to begin with first inquiries on harvest, market preparation und transport in vegetable crops in regard to ergonomics, economy and mechanization as a whole. The investigated crops are lettuce, cauliflower, celery and carots for fresh market. The investigated family farms have 5 to 10 ha and 2 to 3 family workers. Temporary workers are hardly available because of low wages and hard work. | |
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