US (FL): Approval sought for citrus harvesting chemical
The officials have indicated their decision will be made by Wednesday this week, according to Dan King, director of scientific research at the Florida Department of Citrus. The department has spent $14.2 million on research to develop CMNP and its related registration with the EPA.
CMNP lessens the bond the fruit has with its stem, making mechanical harvesting easier, more efficient and less expensive. it also reduces the force exerted on the trees, reducing stress and damage.
"We've been trying to push it for mechanical harvesting, but there's also an advantage to using it with manual harvesting," King said.
King is referring to the fact that CMNP also makes it easier to harvest by hand, for the same reason that it makes the bond between the fruit and the tree less.
A University of Florida study showed savings from manual harvesting with CMNP could run from $100 to $330 per acre, depending upon the grove's average yield.
Florida citrus growers have been slow to adopt mechanical harvesting. Paul Meador, a LaBelle-based grower and vice president of Everglades Harvesting and Hauling Inc., which uses mechanical harvesters said, "I think it was everybody's assumption the industry was headed toward mechanical harvesting. Now that's not the case."
But Meador added he remains optimistic EPA will approve CMNP and that Florida growers will use it widely with manual harvesting. "At least it stablizes the cost of harvesting, and that to me is a large thing," he said.
Source: theledger.com
