Coconut harvest
Harvesting time or pemetakn of coconut fruit vary, depending on coconut varieties, soil factor, climate and good maintenance. In general, early-morning coconut crops begin to produce fruit at age 3-4 years. For deep varieties, coconuts start to produce fruit at 6-8 years old.
Peak production period also varies. Uncuk coconut during peak production at age between 15-20 years. After 20 years of production gradually declined and after 40 years of production declined. Moderate cocoa / hybrid, peak production period between the ages of 10-18 years. After the age of 18 years of production began to fade down and decline after the age of 30 years.
When collecting the results, other than determined by some of the above factors (coconut varieties, soils etc), also still determined by its usefulness, for example
For drink purposes
In areas adjacent to large cities, the population generally picks up fruit (degan), and is marketed at a higher price than cooking coconuts. Some fresh drinks from young coconut, very popular especially in the hot air and big cities that are always crowded and crowded with residents. The collection of young fruit other than as a fresh drink, is also used as medicine for certain diseases, such as degan (young coconut) of the type of coconut and others.
For copra
Old coconut (ripe) is marked with:
• The appearance of the coir begins to dry,
• The shell is black,
• Coconut water begins to decrease, when shaken beeps,
• The weight of the fruit decreases (the average coconut weight weight is 1.5 kg and coconut in 2 kg),
• Perfect white body formation (solid) and if not picked ripe fruit will fall by itself.
Goodness of ripe fruit:
Copra content and maximum oil content
The quality of copra and oil quality is high
Usage is very much, both as a material consumption and industry.
For seeds
The ripe fruits are correct and fall by themselves, estimated at the age of the 16th month. Fruit picking for seeds, is expected to be ripe fruit, but not yet fallen by itself from the tree.
Harvesting of coconut fruit is done on fruit that is 11-12 months old. Fruit that is not harvested at that age will fall by itself, whereas if the harvest is done early the fruit will be difficult to remove from the stalk.
Rotation / Harvesting period
Picking the coconut fruit is not done every day, because it will require much need supervision and scattering baiya. Therefore, to save costs and time is done a picking rotation, generally ranges from 1-2 months. In areas with a lot of manpower and cheap fees can harvest once a month. While areas with little labor and high wages can harvest 2 months. If the harvest rotation is over 2 months, it is likely that many coconuts have fallen to the ground and canopy clearance will be delayed. Conversely, if the rotation of picking is less than one month, the efficiency of the workforce is reduced because the coconut fruits are really ripe a little bit.
Harvest frequency can be done once a month by waiting for the fall of ripe coconut, but generally the harvest is done on 2 or 3 bunches at once. This is not very influential on the quality of fruit because according to Padua Resurrection and Banson (1979) fatty acid levels in coconut oil derived from bunches aged three months younger with the fruit of the bunches are harvested so that the cost of harvesting can be saved.
Harvest time can be done in the morning until the afternoon from the state of the environment support for example the weather is not rain.
Harvesting Technique
How to harvest coconuts in different regions and different countries according to the customs, customs and conditions of each place, for example:
Coconut fruit is left to fall: deficiency, ie falling fruit is over cooked, so it is not suitable for copra raw material or coconut shredded coconut raw material (desiccated coconut).
How to climb: done in dry season only. The tool used is a sickle or a machete.
The advantages are:
(1) By climbing coconut trees, can be selected coconut fruit that is ready to harvest (harvesting criteria) as well as cleaning the crown of leaves;
(2) can choose coconuts ready for harvest with an average ability of 25 trees per person.
Weakness is destructive of trees, as it has to make the ground to ground. However, cutting is done to build steps in the trunk in certain countries to make it easier to climb trees making it less suitable for wooden purposes and broken bones serve as the entrance for pests.
How to harvest with a pole: using a bamboo that is connected and the end is mounted sharp knife shaped hook. The ability to pick an average of 100 trees / person / day.
Harvesting using bamboo poles is generally faster, more efficient, less dull, and less dangerous when compared to climbing. With bamboo poles,
In addition to manpower, picking can use the help of animals (monkeys / monkeys). In some areas on the island of Sumatra, often picking is done by apes (monkeys). The speed of picking by the beruk 400 grains a day with a rest period of 1 hour, but the monkey can not clean the leaf crown and selectivity is less. This method is only practiced in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Harvesting coconuts using trained monkeys is considered efficient and cost-effective especially in areas where labor is scarce.
Fruit Production
The quantity of coconut harvest is influenced by coconut varieties, cultivation techniques, soil and climate conditions, ground water conditions, pests and diseases and plant age. Coconut species of early maturity can produce fruit between 9,000-11,000 grains / ha / year or equivalent to 1.5-2 tons of copra. This type of deep coconut can produce about 4,000-5,000 grains / ha / year or equivalent to 1-1.25 tons of copra. Coconut productivity can be improved with intensive maintenance.
Collection of yield (harvest) of coconut
Collection of coconut crops should pay attention to the following steps:
Step 1
Wait for your coconut tree to start producing fruit. Coconut trees in ideal conditions usually do not start producing coconuts until they are between four and six years old. coconut trees that grow in poor conditions, unfavorable weather, or in soils with high clay and sand concentrations can not produce coconuts for years 15 or 20 after being planted.
Step 2
Track your coconut life cycle. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, coconut, it takes about 12 months from the time it first produced ready for harvest.
Step 3
Check the color of each coconut husk. Coconuts with wholly or mostly chocolate husks are ready to be harvested and can be picked directly from trees or from the soil if they have fallen.
Step 4
All coconut harvest matures from coconut trees or from the soil every 40 days for trees that often produce coconuts, and up to 90 days if the coconut trees produce less.
Step 5
Select the method of harvesting. In India, coconuts are removed from trees with the help of a tree grips pole device to allow workers to climb safely. In Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, trained monkeys are used to run up trees and drop all the coconuts that are ready to be harvested. Otherwise, coconuts are usually allowed to fall from trees when they are ready to be harvested and then collected from the soil.
