Sandveld Pack house and marketing efficiency: Pieter van Zyl and Eugene Strydom, Potatoes South Africa

Transcription

1 Pack house and marketing efficiency: Sandveld 2017 Pieter van Zyl and Eugene Strydom, Potatoes South Africa The project focusses on the processes involved to get the potatoes ready for the market. It comprises of the harvesting process, transport to the pack house, as well as the washing and packing process. The focus is on quality aspects, weight loss, tuber damage, labour efficiency, market prices realised, as well as the costs related to the harvesting and packing process. Producers product quality is evaluated by using the quality index and quality control procedures. Weight loss and tuber damage are investigated by sampling every section of the harvesting and washing process. The samples are then weighed over a seven day period and after seven days the individual tubers in the different samples are evaluated, especially as far as mechanical damage is concerned. Participants price data on fresh produce markets is compared on an anonymous basis. In this article the causes of tuber damage and the results of efficiency of the harvesting and packing processes for the Sandveld are discussed. The region was visited in December Tuber damage Tuber damage refers to tubers with one or more of the following signs: mechanical damage, rotting, wilting and abrasion. To investigate the cause of tuber Page 32 CHIPS Januarie/Februarie 2018

2 Ekonomiese Nuus Economic News 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Field Hopper Washer Sorting Figure 1: Different actions' contribution to tuber damage (Average of 5 participants) 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Field Hopper Washer Sorting Figure 2: Different actions' contribution to tuber damage ({Participant A) damage samples are drawn at four locations in the harvesting and packing process. The different samples (every time 3 x 10 kg bags) are drawn (1) in the field prior to the harvesting action, (2) at the hopper before the tubers enter the pack house, (3) directly after the washer and (4) at the end of the packing line. After seven days the content of the different areas was evaluated and all the tubers with tuber damage were identified. Figures 1 to 3 indicates the contribution of the four activities to tuber damage. In Figure 1 the averages of five participants are set CHIPS January/February 2018 Page 33

3 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Field Hopper Washer Sorting Figure 3: Different actions' contribution to tuber damage ({Participant B) Bags per labourer Relatively little labour Participants = Highly mechanised The rest of the pack houses consists of one or more of the following: maximum 3 bag fillers, 2 carousels or non of the above where everything is still done by hand. Relatively much labour 112 Figure 4: Average number of bags handled per pack house labourer per day (All pack house labour) Page 34 CHIPS Januarie/Februarie 2018

4 Ekonomiese Nuus Economic News out. On average 28% of the tubers in each bag had tuber damage to a degree. Thereof 45% is caused by the washer and 30% during the harvesting and transportation process ( Hopper ). To identify the causes of tuber damage a methodology was developed in cooperation with the Agricultural Research Council to evaluate the contribution of the different actions (harvesting, transporting, off-loading, washing, etc.) to tuber damage. The washers cause the most damage, followed by the harvesting and transporting actions ( Hopper ), according to Figure 1. There exist significant variations in tuber damage between participants. Figure 2 refers to the results of participant A and Figure 3 to the results of participant B. The results of participant A indicate that on average 23% of the content in his bags contains a degree of tuber damage (not in table), of which 53% is caused by his washers. In comparison on average 16% of the tubers in the bags of participant B showed damage. Of this 45% is caused during the harvesting and transporting processes. It is evident that the main causes of tuber damage between the two participants differ. The different actions, and specifically the reasons for tuber damage, will be studied in detail at a later stage. Harvesting and pack house efficiency The volume handled by a pack house on a daily basis, has a major impact on efficiency as well as on the quality of the final product delivered. It is highly probable that when larger yields are attained, pack houses are put under pressure that could have a negative impact on the market price of the producer. There is a difference in the extent of mechanisation between participants. Some participants employ the latest technology in their pack houses (carousels and automatic bag fillers), whereas other participants use more conventional methods to pack potatoes. Figure 4 refers to the average number of bags handled per pack house worker in a nine hour working day. This refers to the working tempo of workers. The workers of participant No. 17 pack s on average 485 bags per worker per working day compared to participant No. 5 who packs 112 bags per worker per day. Participant No. 17 is therefore more effective in the way he applies his labour force; but to what extent is his pack house mechanised? The four participants left in Figure 4, marked with the blue triangles, refer to pack houses that are significantly more mechanised as are the other participants. These pack houses, inter alia, comprise of bunkers and automatic bag fillers (scales). All four participants are therefore more effective as to how the use there pack house labour, although at a higher mechanisation cost. Participants Nos. 4 and 19 both pack in the region of bags per day. Participant No. 4 packs 208 bags per worker per day compared to participant No. 19 who packs 121 bags per worker per day. The difference in equipment between these Bags oer sorting labourer Figure 5: Average number of bags handled per sorting labourer per day CHIPS January/February 2018 Page 35

5 Figure 6: Total labour cost per hectare - lifting and pack store (Excluding the labour applicable to transportation from the field to the pack house) R1,30 R1,38 R1,17 R1,10 R1,19 R1,12 R1,02 Rand per bag R0,90 R0,70 R0,50 R0,97 R0,89 R0,84 R0,84 R0,81 R0,81 R0,78 R0,77 R0,73 R0,72 R0,71 R0,69 R0,68 R0,66 R0,64 R0,62 R0,53 R0, R0,31 Figure 7: Labour cost per bag (Pack house only) two participants is three bag fillers (scales) and one carousel in the pack house of participant No. 4. The question therefore arises what the optimal number of bags are to handle per labourer per day? Should participants lay left or right in the figure? Producers who realise good prices every year, do not necessarily lay right (or left) in the figure. The labour that potentially has the biggest impact on market prices, are the workers at the sorting tables, or in other words the sorters. Figure 5 indicates the number of bags handled per sorter per day (In Figure 4 all pack house labour is taken into account). Although a few participants use the latest technology in their pack houses, the majority of the participants basically have the same type of sorting equipment. Nevertheless there is still a significant variation between the different participants average number of bags handled per sorter per day, e.g. participant No. 10 who handles 642 bags with one sorter and participant No. 22 who handles 286 bags with one sorter per day. Page 36 CHIPS Januarie/Februarie 2018

6 Ekonomiese Nuus Economic News Once again, the question arises what is the optimal number of bags to handle per sorter per day? The optimal number will differ between production regions and even between participants in the same region. However, the optimum balance should be driven by market prices. In other regions the following phenomenon occurs: There are participants left in Figure 5 as well as right who attain above average market prices. Any change made in the pack house, should not have a negative impact on market prices. Participants must combine the volume, quality and social structure of the relevant group of workers as such to ensure optimal market prices are attained. The impact of these workers on market prices has a bigger financial impact on the farming enterprise than the possible cost savings that can be made by simply employing less workers at the sorting tables. It is therefore not about the quantity of labour (numbers), but about the quality of labour. To compare labour cost, the labour cost per bag and per hectare is determined. Figure 6 reflects the labour cost per hectare and also differentiate between the contribution of labour cost in the pack house and on the field. Note that the costs of all the workers involved in transporting the potatoes from the field to the pack house are not included, because there is a significant variation between participants in terms of distance and type of transport. Participants right in the figure, therefore, spend significantly less on labour per hectare compared to participants left in the figure, but the cost of mechanisation must be taken into account. The four participants with the pack houses that are highly mechanised compared to the other participants, are all on the right in the figure (lower labour cost). Figure 7 reflects the labour cost per bag for the different pack houses. The average pack house labour cost per bag for the participants is R0.84 per bag. Once again, there is a huge variation between participants and even between participants with the same equipment. Participant No. 4 packs at R0.68 per bag compared to participant No. 19 who packs at R1.17 per bag. All participants make use of bulk harvesters and the average harvesting labour cost per bag amounts to R0.08 per bag. C Voeding volgens plantontwikkeling AARTAPPELS VROEG VEGETATIEF, MET PLANT KynoPop / KynoPop vir Aartappels Vir n vinnige wegspring en groeikragtigheid. KynoPlus -NPKSplantermengsels soos Zest, Blitz en Finesse Plantermengsels met verhoogde doeltreffendheid om veral in die vroeë behoeftes, maar ook in die latere voedingbehoeftes van die aartappelplant te voorsien. MIDDEL VEGETATIEF CalciBor, GreenGold 30 Achilles, Seniphos, Foli-Grande en Foli-Plus Gebruik in kombinasie as topbemesting om knolinisiasie en opbrengs te bevorder. Veggie Oemff Starter n Blaarvoeding om vroeë wortelontwikkeling te help en om knolinisiasie te verbeter. Zintrac or Zink Sulfaat kan ook gebruik word. Veggie Oemff Grow Gebruik in kombinasie na knolinisiasie vir opbrengs en aanleg tot beter kwaliteit. LAAT VEGETATIEF EN KNOLVORMING CalciBor, GreenGold 30 Achilles, Foli-Grande, Foli-Plus en Unika Calcium Gebruik in kombinasie as topbemesting om opbrengs en kwaliteit te bevorder. Veggie Oemff Fruit Gebruik gedurende knolgroei vir verbeterde werkverrigting wat lei tot beter opbrengs en kwaliteit. KynoPop Reg. No: K9101, KynoPop Aartappels Reg. No: In proses, KynoPlus is geregistreer as kunsmis groep 1 Reg. No: K8024, GreenGold 30 Reg. No: K8034, Achilles Reg. No: K8967, Foli-Grande Reg. No: K8045, Foli-Plus Reg. No: K9397, CalciBor Reg. No: K9739, Seniphos Reg. No: K7682, Veggie OEMFF Grow Reg. No: K9090, Veggie OEMFF Fruit Reg. No: K9091, Veggie OEMFF Starter Reg. No: K9088, Blitz Reg. No: K10049, Zest Reg. No: K10048, Finesse Reg. No: K10051, Unika Calcium Reg. No: K6641 (Alle produkte is geregistreer onder Wet 36 van 1947) Met Kynoch se innoverende en pasmaakprodukte kan jy bemesting toedien volgens jou aartappelplant se behoeftes en groeistadiums. So verseker Kynoch dat jou aartappels kry wat hulle nodig het, wanneer hulle dit die nodigste het. Kynoch verbeterde doeltreffendheid deur innovasie info@kynoch.co.za Farmisco (Edms) Bpk. h/a Kynoch Fertilizer Reg. No. 2009/ /07 uppe marketing A16340 CHIPS January/February 2018 Page 37