Which method is more advantageous for farmers: manual coffee harvesting or chemical strategic harvesting?

Manual coffee harvesting refers to harvesting coffee entirely by hand when the farm is in the harvest season. Methods are often divided into two types: selective picking and selective picking. The two range options are to pick all the coffee cherries at once, following the branches from root to tip. This picking method is often chosen by commercial coffee farmers. Selective filtering is the way to collect what is needed in more time and effort. Each coffee result needs to be monitored for changes in color and style to ensure the fruit is picked and when it reaches peak ripeness.

Selective manual harvesting is the practice of picking coffee by hand

Collect coffee extraction methods using supporting machinery and equipment. Currently, there are two popular types of motorized equipment: derricadeiras and stripping machines. Derricadeiras is a handheld device shaped like a pen, with a vibrator on the top designed to resemble the shape of a hand. Farmers will use this machine to drop coffee cherries and attract them. The stripping machine has the same operating mechanism as the handheld machine but has a larger size and capacity.

Image of a stripping machine in operation at a coffee farm

Collect harvesting tools and gather a baseline of the various advantages and disadvantages of the harvesting process. The choice will have different effects on product quality, cost, and sustainability.

About Quality

Specialty coffee producers tend to use selective manual methods to harvest or brew coffee. With this method, the coffee batch can ensure maximum uniformity in quality as well as the sugar and mineral content of the beans. manual harvesting minimizes the production of broken, damaged, and overripe beans. However, experts say that mechanized methods can also achieve the same quality if more investment is made in equipment and Quality control after picking. Devices with limited lifespans can be adjusted to suit the current situation. After harvesting, farmers can re-select quality using floating release methods, sorting machines, or manually.

About Productivity

Yield is an important factor in the coffee harvesting process. If yields are poor, the longer the fruit stays on the tree the greater the risk of spoilage. In this regard, mechanized harvesting is considered more effective than manual methods. Because machines pick coffee faster and do not require much effort from workers when harvesting the fruit. After harvesting, farmers need to invest more time in post-processing to ensure the selection of satisfactory fruits. Meanwhile, harvesting or manual selection can shorten the time to classify fruit after harvest. However, farmers need to ensure they have enough labor, time, and effort to harvest more meticulously.

Manual harvesting requires a lot of time during the picking process

Production cost

Experts suggest that comparing the cost-effectiveness of these two methods should be based on the financial benefits derived from higher quality or productivity. For example, In Minas Gerais, Brazil, the average monthly salary for a coffee picker during harvest time is approximately 465 USD (equivalent to more than 11 million VND), not including the accompanying allowances and benefits. Furthermore, this labor source in coffee-growing areas is very scarce because people tend to want to live in cities, go to university, and avoid working on farms. So for Brazilian farms, mechanized coffee harvesting can be economically advantageous, particularly for large-scale farms. Meanwhile, small-scale farms with available and cheaper labor resources will be more suitable for manual harvesting because the initial cost of machinery and maintenance costs are a large number.

Sustainability

Analysts say it is difficult to conclude whether manual or mechanical harvesting is more sustainable. Sustainability encompasses various aspects, including economics, society, environment, and other related factors. For example, in terms of social sustainability, manual harvesting can create more jobs. But to be sustainable, these jobs need to ensure workers are paid fairly and have a good quality of life. In terms of environmental protection, some mechanized equipment can remove harmful emissions. However, some harvesters have built-in carbon deflation functions. Therefore, sustainability in choosing harvesting methods needs to be based on specific uses and impacts in each case.

Mechanical harvesting requires a lot of time in the post-harvest process

Based on the above factors, it can be seen that each method has strengths in ensuring quality, productivity, cost, and sustainability. At the same time, both also have different disadvantages. There is no method that is completely perfect and optimal for all cases. Farmers need to evaluate production goals, farm conditions, workforce readiness, etc. to choose the most suitable method for themselves.

The choice of harvesting method should be based on the factors and resources of the farm

Throughout the entire process, from planting and tending to harvesting and processing, coffee farmers must consistently make informed decisions and prioritize their enthusiasm to create high-quality products. If you want to experience authentic specialty coffee beans, visit XLIII Coffee!

Articles you may be interested in

– Risk of Coffee Supply Chain Disruption Due to the Red Sea Crisis – What Should Roasters Do?

– Why is Gesha Panama coffee the most prominent among Gesha’s origins?

– Not only caffeine, but the experience of drinking coffee is also a factor that enhances alertness!