Autumn provides ideal conditions for crops to reach optimal ripeness it is also a perfect time for American farmers to harvest and process agricultural products pomegranates thrive in warm climates the ideal temperature range for Pomegranate growth is between 25 and 35° C when the conditions are hot and dry during the fruit's growth phase it will contribute to a richer and sweeter flavor although the tree is drought tolerant regular irrigation is necessary in order to achieve the highest yields the United States is one of the largest producers of pomegranates in the world here pomegranate farms supply millions of tons annually serving both domestic and Export markets the price range for fresh prom granates can vary from 20 to $38 per 25 lb box in 2023 pomegranate production in the US reached around 500,000 tons with exports to countries such as Canada South Korea and Japan India is also a country with a highly developed pomegranate industry harvesting over 800,000 tons annually additionally India is a major exporter with its pomegranates widely distributed across European midle Eastern and Asian markets pomegranates typically begin ripening in late August and continue through November Farmers must monitor the color change of the fruit pomegranates do not continue to ripen after being picked so determining the right Harvest time is crucial the harvesting process is done manually Farmers cut the stems to reduce the risk of damaging other fruits during Transportation they gently place the pomegranates into cloth bags then pour them into large bins to avoid cracking the fruit immediately after harvest pomegranates are transported to the factory for preliminary processing and preservation first the pomegranate are cooled immediately to prevent spoilage then they are carefully inspected to remove any damaged or substandard fruit at the factory pomegranates can be packaged for the market when stored in cold conditions pomegranates can remain fresh for 2 to 3 months allowing enough time for distribution to distant markets the process of extracting pomegranate juice requires Rees peeling removing the outer membrane and pressing the seeds to extract the juice after refining and pasteurization the juice is bottled and distributed to Market domestic demand for pomegranates is increasing due to the growing trend of consuming nutrient-rich Foods peaches grow best in areas with a low risk of late Frost late Frost can cause flowers to die due to low temperatures preventing fruit from forming the size of the fruit is related to the number of fruits on a tree the crop load is usually adjusted within 45 days manually thinning the fruit is labor intensive and costly requiring up to 130 labor hours per acre according according to 2023 data China's Peach production accounted for around 60% of the global total with more than 15 million tons annually major Peach growing regions in China include Shandong and [ __ ] Province the United States is also a prominent Peach growing country in 20123 the US harvested around 650,000 tons of peaches with most being consumed domestically the peach harvest season begins in May and lasts until September depending on the peach variety and growing region peaches need to be harvested at the right time to Ure the best flavor and quality Farmers usually pick the peaches by hand the manual harvesting process requires care as even a small bruise can ruin the fruit Peach Pickers walk through the peach Orchards handpicking the ripest firmest peaches Farmers move ladders Across The Orchards standing on top of them to pick peaches from the tops of the trees balancing on a lan while focusing on the fruit and picking the best peaches is no easy feat however they strive to harvest the peaches before birds and small mammals have a chance to get to them after arriving at the factory peaches are coed to immediately halt the ripening process this conveyor belt can move around 70,000 lb of peaches per hour workers Begin by removing Peach leaves and debris from the field then the peaches are sorted by size and quality with substandard peaches being discarded once cleaned the peaches are fed into an automatic peeling machine next the peaches are sliced or haved depending on the requirements of the final product the peaches are soaked in a sugar solution of water for preservation and to enhance the flavor then the peach slices are placed in a tin box with a soaking solution the canned peaches after being stealed are sterilized at high temperatures to eliminate bacteria and extend their shelf life the United States is one of the largest markets for peach consumption a significant amount of peaches is also packaged for the fresh peach Market according to 2023 statistics Americans consume approximately 1.2 million tons of peaches annually chestnuts are commonly grown in temperate and cool climate regions in the US states like California and Michigan are major production areas with tens of thousands of Acres dedicated to Chestnut cultivation chestnuts begin to ripen from late September to early November when the husk turns brown and separates from the tree this indicates that they are ready for Harvest manual Chestnut harvesting typically occurs when the chestnuts have ripened and Fallen naturally to the ground this process requires the farmer's meticulousness and patience Chestnut harvesting tools are round cages attached to a long handle this allows Farmers to roll them over the ground to collect chestnuts Inside the Cage this reduces the need for bending over frequently and speeds up the Harvest process manual harvesting is somewhat slower but it allows Farmers to control the quality of the product ensuring that only fully ripe and undamaged chestnuts are collected for large Chestnut Orchards farmers use sweepers to gather the chestnuts into rows these machines are equipped with fan systems to remove debris this not only increases efficiency but also ensures that the chestnuts retain their outer shell intact this machine is is equipped with a powerful motor and flexible suction system the chestnuts are then sucked into a large container where they undergo a preliminary sorting process the vacuum cleaner also has a filtration system to remove leaves and small debris before processing chestnuts are washed to remove impurities such as dirt twigs and small fragments next the chestnuts are sorted by size and quality walnuts provide significant economic value in many countries especially in the United States after 5 to 7 years to mature healthy walnut trees can produce between 66 and 350 lb of nuts a year a notable figure with substantial yield potential in 20 23 California had approximately 355,000 Acres of Walnut Orchards supplying up to 600,000 tons of nuts annually Walnut harvesting has now been mechanized a hydraulic tree Shaker is used to vigorously shake the tree trunk causing the walnuts to fall to the ground each Shaker costs around $100,000 and is designed with a clamping jaw around the trunk and a soft pad to minimize damage to the tree when the walnuts fall they are gathered into rows and collected by mechanical Harvesters the fan system and shields under the machine help remove debris and impurities leaving only quality walnuts behind after harvesting walnuts are taken to the processing plant to ensure final quality is great rate depending on Market requirements the processing and storage of walnuts may vary whole walnuts are sorted by size and clean to remove dirt and impurities this not only prevents damage to the nuts but also protects their quality during storage the walnuts are then stored in temperature control facilities ready for processing when needed for shelled walnuts the nuts are fed into a cracking machine after shelling the kernels are sorted by size and color with any remaining shell fragments removed the Walnut kernels are then rigorously inspected according to the highest quality standards before being packaged and brought to Market another important step in the processing is drying the walnuts to reduce moisture extend shelf life and maintain quality the drying process is carefully controlled to avoid over drying which could affect the flavor and nutritional value of the product The Humble banana a staple in countless diets worldwide has a complex Journey from Plantation to plate each banana Bunch can weigh from 65 to 110 lb so far Farmers often use foam padding to protect their shoulders during the harvesting process big Plantation has also implemented a 21.7 m cablecast system capable of transporting 75 banana bunches at a time in 2022 Global banana production reached 42.2 million to maintain high standards Farmers limit each banana plant to produce only 10 bunches allowing for better fruit development harvesting bananas is a labor intensive task typically performed during the cool early morning hours skilled workers often start their day as early as 500 a.m. the remaining plant leaves are cut off above the ground and eventually decompose into nutrient Rich humus through traditional farming methods Growers can achieve yields of around £88,000 per square hectare however efficient banana farms in the Philippines the biggest banana supplier in the world can s up to 176,000 lb per hectare or even more this is because they have developed a variety that can fight off diseases once the bananas arri at the processing plant they undergo a thorough cleaning process workers use water pressure to remove dirt and debris while the banana bunches and processing areas are lined with foam to prevent damage to the fruit specialized knives are used to separate the bananas into bunches and remove the big long stem after separating the bunches water jets then Propel the banana bunches through the clean Pond unlike many other producers this company harvest bananas while they are still green and with the liquid that is put on the crown before packing the banana bunches won't ripen in the next 19 days of exporting to the foreign markets upon arrival they undergo an artificial ripening process for around 7 days to reach their Peak ripeness just before being sold in supermarkets the Factory's production capacity is impressive with an average of 50,000 banana crates packaged per week in addition to Fresh consumption fried bananas are also a popular product with a market value of $2.4 billion in 2023 the green banana variety is particularly suitable for frying due to its firmness and low sweetness once the bananas have been sorted skilled workers peel them by hand a slicing machine then cuts the bananas Into Thin even slices typically between 3 to 5 mm thick during the frying process workers continuously stir the bananas to ensure they evenly crisp on all sides at a temperature of around 180° C A conveyor belt moves the front slices to a flavoring station for seasoning once cooled the fried bananas are ready for packaging a production line of this scale can process up to 20 tons of bananas per day each female sugar pumm produces around 50 to 60 fruits and this is what the fruits meat looks like but today our mission is to harvest the sweet nectar that will eventually become palm sugar towering up to 30 m the sugar Palm takes a remarkable 20 years to mature and can live for over a century as Dawn breaks while many are still fast asleep these farmers are already deep into the sugar Palm Groves climbing these towering trees is no easy feat to reach the top these skilled Harvesters use long sturdy bamboo poles with notes cut into them serving as makeshift ladders in some regions they employ a more daring technique wrapping a thick rope around both themselves and the tree trunk for support armed with only a knife and containers these Farmers begin the Harvest with a deaf stroke they cut off the flower bud this specialized palm sugar producing region yields an impressive 12 tons of sugar per day by morning the containers placed at the top will be filled with the sweet nectar each day a worker can climb up to 100 trees often gathering over 300 L per day this sap can turn sour pretty quickly so farmers prevent this by either putting a piece of this herb or applying a lime coating inside this farmer is straining the sap through a fine mesh to remove impurities the amount of sa required to produce 1 kg of sugar varies depending on the season the filtered sap is then poured into large containers and simmered for approximately 6 to 7 hours until it's reduced to a thick syrupy consistency constant stirring and skimming is essential to prevent burning and ensure a smooth texture the liquid sugar is poured into molds creating either individual bols or a solid block within a plastic container during the dry season 7 L of sap is typically needed while in the rainy season it may take up to 10 L pineapple a tropical fruit renowned for its sweet Tangy flavor has become a staple in many diets globally pineapple farming remains a labor intensive process with manual harvesting still the norm each harvesting team typically consists of 20 to 30 skilled workers who are equipped with protective gear to prevent injuries from the fruits sharp leaves they can Harvest 2 tons of pineapples a day the yield of pineapples per hectare varies from 40 to 50 tons the life cycle of a pineapple plant is a relatively lengthy one spanning approximately 15 to 19 months from planting to harvest mature fruits typically weigh between 0.5 and 1.2 kg the harvested
pineapples are then transported to processing facilities or storage Global Production of this Delicious Fruit has reached an impressive 29.3 6 million tons in 2022 up to around 10,000 boxes are needed every day pineapples intended for fresh consumption are meticulously sorted and stored in refrigerated trucks or warehouses they are stored at a temperature of around 7 to 8° C with humidity of around 85 to 90% to maintain freshness the time between Harvest and storage should not exceed 24 hours in summer or 36 hours in Spring for fresh consumption pineapples are harvested when one half of their skin has turned yellow however those destined for juice processing are harvested at a slightly earlier stage with only 1/3 of the base skin being yellow before making juice workers carefully select ripe juicy fruits while discarding those that are rotten unripe or diseased some facilities press the whole pineapple like this to maximize the amount of juice produced the skin is discarded but it doesn't go to waste they are processed into soap for those with sensitive skins but some peel extract and cut the flesh thoroughly to ensure the taste is great then the flesh is transferred to the juicer and what you're seeing is the pineapple pulp finally the sterilized juice is packaged and labeled for distribution the pineapple juice Market has experienced significant growth with Revenue reaching $7.1 billion US in recent years
2024-09-28