Campagnola has developed an innovative technology that allows a harvester to increase the yield per hour when harvesting blueberries. Basically, a battery-powered, lightweight and handy manual "shaker" is used, i.e. the Starberry MD2. By modulating intensity and duration according to the variety and state of the fruit (first, second or third detachment), up to 25 kg of blueberries can be harvested in the appropriate harvesting box in one hour of work (2022 results obtained, for example, with "cargo" varieties). However, the average for any variety is at least 13-15 kg per hour of work. The average waste is 5-6%.
Operators do not touch the fruit with their hands, so it remains intact, just as it was on the plant.
Its ergonomic shape has been specifically designed to make mechanised harvesting easier without tiring the operator; carbon-based polymers are also used, which reduce the weight of the tool to 0,921 kg, battery included.
Sergio Panini, consultant of Campagnola for its use with blueberries worldwide, says: "Starberry MD2 has proven to be an excellent solution to reduce costs and the number of labour hours required for harvesting. In the agricultural sector, manpower has become a problem in many countries of the world, with little availability and high costs. At times, some producers find that they are unable to harvest all blueberries, also due to lower selling prices and rising costs. When it comes to harvesting with traction machines, the right technology has not yet been developed and, in any case, it is an 'invasive' method that affects the quality of the harvested fruit. I work as a consultant all over the world and finding manpower has become a widespread problem."
Vanni Roncagli, Commercial Director of Campagnola, adds:
"Starberry is a practical solution for hand pickers who want to improve their yield per hour / job. We have tested Starberry with leading companies in Italy and in the world, and the results speak for themselves. We are now ready to market it. We also offer a trolley to collect blueberries in the row, which makes harvesting more efficient, thus preventing the fruits from falling to the ground. Italy, Spain, Morocco, Europe, Asia, South America, South Africa and the United States are our target markets for growth in 2023."
For more information
Campagnola Srl
Via Lazio, 21
40069 Zola Predosa (BO) - Italy
+39 051 753500
+39 366 6314643
www.campagnola.it