Key takeaways
- In GrowTime’s approach, “selective harvesting” is the synergy of lorry mobility solutions aimed at reaching mushrooms ready for harvest as quickly as possible.
- The greatest impact on harvesting speed comes from the ergonomic design of the lorry and the automatically, precisely controlled movement of the platform to the right/left (with constant-speed control), operated by a simple remote (in the selective harvesting technique), because it eliminates manual pushing of the lorry.
- The lowest platform position (up–down) should be matched so as to enable ergonomic harvesting from the bottom shelf of the rack.
- In practice, efficiency is also limited by the power system, so sufficiently large battery capacity and a short charging time matter, while preserving mobility (battery weight and size).
- The calculations in the text indicate that modern lorries can increase yield by up to about 2.5 kg/m² and reduce staffing on average by 10–20% or more, provided they maintain ergonomics and safety.
What affects mushroom picking efficiency the most in mushroom growing farms?
Nearly every profitable, modern mushroom growing farm chooses to use mushroom picking trolleys, which are designed with high efficiency and safety of use in mind. The trolleys allow mushroom farm owners to optimize the cost of labour, leading to increased profits.
High-quality mushroom picking trolleys make faster and easier picking possible. Thanks to advanced design solutions, the effort required from the picker is minimal, and yet the harvest can be carried out in an optimal way.
Durable, ergonomic and safe trolleys are a great investment that yields fast results when it comes to raising picking efficiency. Therefore, it’s a priority for every manufacturer to constantly improve them and introduce new useful features.
What solutions does a modern mushroom picking trolley offer?
Solutions that affect the speed and overall efficiency of the picking are extremely important and thus worth paying attention to. The main ones are:
- left and right movement of the platform, which allows easy movement along the shelving, and as such easy access to the mushrooms;
- fully automatic (and easily facilitated from the control panel) movement thanks to an electric winch, which saves the picker’s time and strength, unlike in old trolleys which required manual labour for movement of the platform;
- up and down movement of the platform, which enables the picker to reach mushrooms from every shelf in a short amount of time and without a lot of physical effort;
- ergonomic design allowing for picking from the bottom shelf of the shelving without a problem.
The power supply of the trolley is an important component that also affects the overall efficiency of the farm:
- trolleys use batteries which should have optimal charging time and capacity, which will allow pickers to use the trolley for up to several dozen hours without having to stop and charge it;
However, at the same time, they can’t have too large size and weight, as it would negatively affect their mobility.
Other small, but frequently very useful features include:
- appropriate lighting, which allows the pickers to easily evaluate whether a mushroom’s size is adequate for picking or not, thus making picking less strenuous for the eyes;
- big and adjustable shelves and containers for the picked mushrooms, made in accordance with the farm’s (and the country it’s located in) standards.
The safety of a mushroom picking trolley is also extremely important since workplace accidents lead to issues with sick leave and consequent understaffing. Some of the most important safety features present in modern trolleys are:
- guardrails that prevent falling, since it’s not possible to operate the trolley without closing them first;
- stoppage systems that automatically use safety brakes to prevent the trolley from hitting an obstacle;
- arm and hand protection for the picker to protect them from accidentally cutting themselves while manipulating the platform;
- non-slip working platform, which ensures safety, even in mushroom growing farm’s difficult, humid conditions.
What’s more, every mushroom picking trolley should be made in accordance (at minimum) with all of the safety regulations present in the CE Machinery Directive.
What does selective picking mean and what does it result in?
Selective picking encompasses all of the trolley traits that deal with its movement. It’s crucial due to the fact that the picker’s ability to reach all of the mushrooms that are ready for picking in the smallest amount of time greatly affects the mushroom growing farm’s overall profitability.
The data clearly reflects the effect that selective picking has on harvesting efficiency, e.g. the yield per square meter of crop. Using modern, high-quality trolleys can result in up to 2 additional kilograms per square meter of the crop, which makes a big difference in profits. Furthermore, more efficient picking allows to reduce the employment rate of the mushroom growing farm by 10 to 20% or even more, which means lower labour costs.
Where can you buy high-quality, modern trolleys that will allow the farm to reach peak picking efficiency?
GROWTIME is a renowned manufacturer of mushroom picking trolleys that meet all of the requirements mentioned above and then some. Have a look at two main products that are particularly worth considering for every mushroom growing farm.
Mushroom picking trolley NEWTON – https://growtime.eu/en/produkt/newton-picking-lorry/
Mushroom picking trolley PASCAL – https://growtime.eu/en/produkt/pascal-picking-trolley/
FAQ – frequently asked questions
What is selective harvesting on a mushroom farm?
It is an approach in which lorry mobility solutions, combined with harvesting one specific mushroom size, allow the worker to harvest at an appropriately fast pace and, through, among other things, a greater number of lorry passes, also achieve a higher yield.
What really matters in mushroom harvesting from the owner’s perspective?
Optimising labour costs by speeding up harvesting with the minimum, but still necessary, physical effort from the worker.
Which lorry functions most strongly speed up harvesting?
Automatic movement of the platform along the rack (right/left) and up/down movement operated from one control point, assuming that the lorry can maintain a stable speed, including movement below 1 m/min, together with an ergonomic lorry design.
Why is the control remote important?
Because a simple choice of “forward/back” is meant to eliminate manual pushing of the lorry and reduce working time on each section of the rack.
What should be considered when harvesting from the bottom shelf?
Whether the design and the range of up/down movement allow ergonomic harvesting from the bottom shelf without additional, physically demanding working positions.
How does the power supply affect harvesting efficiency?
Batteries should charge quickly and have high capacity so that they enable uninterrupted work for many hours, but they must not be so heavy and large that they limit mobility.
Which small conveniences have real significance at work?
Good lighting from the lorry and spacious, adjustable shelves for the scales and containers, because they reduce eye strain and make placing mushrooms down more efficient.
Which occupational safety protections should a mushroom harvesting lorry have?
Rails that block operation unless closed, brakes stopping the lorry in the event of an obstacle or the risk of uncontrolled descent, anti-crush protection for limbs, an anti-slip platform, and a design compliant with CE requirements.
