Identification of oil palms with ripe bunches before the harvest : the case of oil palm in early stages of development
Author
Mosquera M., Mauricio
Fontanilla D., Carlos A.
Martínez B., Ricardo
Como citar
Publicación:
Revista Palmas; Vol. 29 Núm. 1 (2008); 23-36
0121-2923
Revista Palmas; Vol. 29 Núm. 1 (2008); 23-36
0121-2923
Abstract
This paper presents the results of a study carried out in an oil palm plantation in the municipality of Barrancabermeja (Colombia). The main objective of this study was to compare through a time and motion study, the feasibility of implementing a modification to the harvest process for oil palm in early stages of development (ages between three and four years). The modification consisted in identifying oil palms with ripe bunches before the harvest, in order to diminish the time spent by the harvester on searching for ripe bunches in the field. The goal was to improve the number of bunches harvested per worker. The results obtained show that it is possible to increase in 71% the number of harvested bunches, but that it is not profitable if the payment for cutting bunches is not adjusted accordingly to the raise in efficiency. Este artículo presenta los resultados de un estudio llevado a cabo en una plantación de palma de aceite en el municipio de Barrancabermeja (Colombia). Su principal objetivo fue el de comparar mediante un análisis de tiempos y movimientos, la factibilidad de implementar una modificación al proceso de cosecha de palma en estados tempranos de desarrollo (edades de tres y cuatro años). La modificación consistió en identificar las palmas de aceite que tenían racimos maduros antes de la cosecha, con el fin de disminuir el tiempo gastado por el cosechero en la búsqueda de racimos en el campo. La meta era mejorar el número de racimos cosechados por trabajador. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que es posible incrementar en 71 por ciento el número de racimos cosechados, pero que no es rentable si no se ajusta el pago por el corte de racimos de acuerdo con el incremento en la eficiencia.
This paper presents the results of a study carried out in an oil palm plantation in the municipality of Barrancabermeja (Colombia). The main objective of this study was to compare through a time and motion study, the feasibility of implementing a modification to the harvest process for oil palm in early stages of development (ages between three and four years). The modification consisted in identifying oil palms with ripe bunches before the harvest, in order to diminish the time spent by the harvester on searching for ripe bunches in the field. The goal was to improve the number of bunches harvested per worker. The results obtained show that it is possible to increase in 71% the number of harvested bunches, but that it is not profitable if the payment for cutting bunches is not adjusted accordingly to the raise in efficiency.
Palabras clave:
palma de aceite
elaeis guineensis
inflorescencias
fitomejoramiento
palma de aceite
elaeis guineensis
inflorescencias
fitomejoramiento