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Mobile Platforms for the Future of Apple Production

One of the recurring themes that keeps appearing in various journals and news bulletins on fruit growing in North America is that of labour efficiencies in the orchard. It’s rare to find any discussion on labour these days in orchards without hearing about mobile platforms that carry workers down the row without ladders being visible anywhere in the orchard. Some workers that have used this platform method in the U.S.A. claim they prefer to stand while doing jobs such as pruning rather than hauling ladders around.

These ideas are not new, as various pieces of equipment have been available from the mid 70’s and are in use in various parts of Europe, Canada and the U.S.A.

I have had many discussions over the years here in Ontario with growers who have used this concept and/or developed various prototypes. With the current cost/price squeeze in tree fruit growing maybe it’s time to look harder at this concept.

The general idea is to have workers carried on a mobile platform either pulled or self-propelled down between tree rows with individuals assigned to zones in the canopy. By eliminating the need to move ladders and walk between trees the whole job can be done more quickly and with greater savings when compared to traditional methods. This works best when the equipment is worker friendly and elements like noise levels from running power sources are not objectionable.

Researchers, growers and investigators in the U.S.A. claim efficiencies of up to 30% over traditional methods of labour access to trees year-round, for everything from installation of pheromone lures to green fruit thinning through to harvest of the crop and onto pruning.

The designs in use range from very simple adaptations of existing equipment like bin trailers modified to carry these mobile platforms to self-propelled units. Manufacturers in the U.S.A. are custom building platforms to specs based on tree height and row spacing.

Usually the outfit will have upper and lower decks and extensions to enable workers to cover the entire tree canopy. Safety rails are installed, hydraulics are kept to a minimum, and design elements are simple to keep costs down.

Probably the best tree shape for this type of equipment would be a flat-sided tree wall that would naturally evolve from a super spindle or vertical axe type planting. These plantings are more and more common in North Eastern North America and indeed in Ontario.

My guess is that it won’t be long before we see more of this type of equipment in use in Ontario and throughout Great Lakes area, especially on trees that are over 9 feet in height and where there is currently a high proportion of ladder work involved tree and crop management.