First mechanical cabbage harvester for Western Australia

Gary Ryan has become the first farmer in Western Australia to purchase and use a mechanical cabbage harvester and is putting it to work. The harvester was brought into the state in September by the Manjimup farmer. The machine came at a huge cost however, Ryan claims to have paid around $100,000 for the harvester at the time in order to better prepare for the possibility of a labor shortage after the backpacker tax fiasco.

"When the backpacker tax thing started coming in we thought we would struggle to get workers going forward."

"Our contracts with cabbages doubled and we wearing a lot of people out," he said.

While the harvester was saving time Ryan said that it still uses the same amount of labor, maybe even one extra.

"I now need four-tractor drivers and three or four guys on the back. It's a similar amount, maybe one extra."

Mr Ryan said the upfront costs of the harvester were "very expensive" and so far, it was not paying its way.

"But I think it probably will in the future," he said.

"It allows us to increase. Before when the processors asked us to increase we were a bit hesitant because we would run out of time during the week to get all other jobs done plus harvest cabbages."

source: abc.net.au

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