When dates are mature, they call for harvesting as the next management practice but the stage of harvesting depends on the variety of the dates. Some date varieties can’t ripen fully when attached to the tree and these are harvested when they turn yellow while others need to fist ripen fully before being harvested.
Harvesting process
When dates mature, the point of attachment of the date to the stalk weakens and the date can easily be detached from the stalk.
Harvesting of dates can be done either by hand picking off the mature and ripe dates or shaking the tree branches and date clusters to enable the ripe dates to detach from the tree and are collected.
The harvesting machine is made in such away that it has an elevator where the harvester stands and is elevated to reach the height of the dates.
The harvester bags the date clusters 2 months prior to the harvesting date.
When the dates are ready for harvesting, the harvesting machine is attached to the tree trunk and by means of vibrations shakes the tree trunk which forces the dates to detach and are collected in the bags that were put earlier.
