ISHS Acta Horticulturae 60: Symposium on Breeding and Machine Harvesting of Rubus and Ribes
NORTH SWEDISH PROGRESS IN MACHINE HARVESTING AND BREEDING OF RIBES |
| Author: | G. Larsson |
| Abstract:
At the Horticultural Experimental Station, Röbacksdalen, Umea a blackcurrant harvester was invented and developed by research technician Ronald Karlsson, who named it 'Vinman'. The project took three years, and was sponsored by the Swedish Board for Technical Development. During 1976 demonstration models are working in different parts of Scandinavia from about 20 July until the end of August, and the engineering firm of Norr - Mekanik AB, S - 931 00 Skelleftea will begin commercial production in 1977. The National Testing Institute for Agricultural Machinery is also evaluating Vinman. Vinman does not replace earlier harvesters. It is a patented new construction which makes economical harvesting possible in plantations of from two to ten hectares. It carefully picks both young bushes giving their first crop and fully grown ones. The tractor driver handles all the controls and a second man handles the boxes. The machine may also be developed for picking other kinds of berries such as red currants and raspberries, etc. The price in May 1976 is about 40 000 Swedish crowns which is approximately T5,000. Northern Sweden, especially the coastal region, is very suitable for blackcurrant cultivation. There are several reasons for this: first, 30 years of research has led to the selection of high yielding varieties, including several local ones, with high quality berries; and second, an adequate supply of rain maintains soil moisture and ensures that there are no frosts at flowering time - thus guaranteeing regularity of cropping. | |
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