Demonstration Of Potato Machinery

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31588, 27 January 1968, Page 10

Demonstration Of Potato Machinery

With all farmers aware of rising costs of production and the necessity for using the most efficient equipment, potato producers will be interested in a demonstration of potato harvesting and handling equipment which has been organised in Canterbury for April 18.

The demonstration has been organised by the Canterbury Central Ward Potato Growers’ Committee, sponsored by the New Zealand Potato Board and assisted by the North Canterbury Grain Seed and Produce Merchants’ Association. It will be on Lincoln College property at Shands Road, Lincoln, where the seed potato certification plots were planted by the Department of Agriculture. The objects of the demonstration are:—

(1) To enable potato machinery manufacturers and importers to demonstrate their machines to potato producers and others under average Canterbury conditions. (2) To enable potato producers and handlers to evaluate the various machines in relation to their own industry problems. The main accent will be on bulk handling and harvesting of potatoes with the object of reducing production costs so that potatoes can be supplied to the consumer at the cheapest possible rate. Because of rising costs of production and transport over recent years there has been a steady increase of Interest in systems of bulk handling and harvesting of potatoes and

many improvements in the machinery and equipment used for this purpose have been made. In potato producing countries overseas bulk handling equipment has been considerably improved and already several enquiries have been received from the manufacturers and agents for these machines on the prospects of demonstrating their equipment on this occasion and it is hoped that import

restrictions will not prevent some of these machines being demonstrated, as until they are tried out under New Zealand conditions it is not possible to arrive at an estimate of their efficiency. New Zealand engineers have also developed some excellent equipment and improvements are being made each season. Growers will have the opportunity of observing the latest developments in these machines under actual working conditions. In addition to machines built by engineers, several farmers have built machines to meet their own requirements and these will also be demonstrated. The demonstrations will start at 10 a.m. and each machine will’ be allocated an area to work in. Each machine will dig one portion in the morning and another in the afternoon. In these demonstrations one operation will be treated as a test run and details will be recorded on efficiency, time involved and labour required, etc. In addition, a sample from this I test run will be taken and held in storage for about two months. At the end of the storage period a further inspection of the sample will be made by an independent panel of observers for damage and bruising, etc. The results of all of these tests

The writer of the accompanying article is Mr M. P. H. Rousham, executive officer of the Potato Board, who is secretary for the potato handling machinery demonstration to be held in April.

will be made available to the industry. Bulk harvesting operations involve either the use of bin containers or bulk trucks or trailers. Bin containers vary in size from a half ton to one ton and equipment for handling and unloading these bins will also be demonstrated. Bulk storage will be provided for both types of bulk harvesting. A further item of interest for the day will be an area which has been planted by Dr R. C. Close, of the Plant Diseases Division, D.5.1.R., Lincoln. A portion of this has been treated with granular insecticide for aphis control. Observations in early January showed that good aphis control had been achieved and leaf roll virus spread prevented. Yield differences are expected to show when the crop is harvested in April and Dr Close will speak in general on this method of virus control. With static displays of various types of bulk bins, bulk trailers and trucks, bulk handling equipment and other allied machinery, the day should prove of interest to all engaged in the industry.