Damage costs dosh
Damage costs dosh
POTATOES are delicate: Treat them roughly, they bruise and their value drops dramatically. Its a simple message which the vast majority of potato growers must now surely recognise.
Even so, potatoes continue to be damaged and one of the most dangerous areas for them is when they are being off loaded from the harvester into a trailer.
Richard Pearson has now developed a self-unloading trailer which has been specifically designed to reduce potato damage at this point in their young lives.
Called the CareMaster, the first point to note is that the near side of the trailer can be hydraulically lowered to allow the harvesters elevator to be more accurately positioned so that drop height is reduced to a minimum. The side is raised as the trailer is filled and, to help the tractor driver to keep an eye on proceedings, the top half of the front panel is made of clear Perspex.
First potatoes to arrive land on a padded triangular bridge positioned over the trailers unloading conveyor. Back at the store, the tailgate is swung open slightly to allow potatoes to exit the trailer via the hydraulically driven rubber conveyor belt. Belt speed can be controlled from a valve sited near the conveyor exit.
Further protection for the potatoes comes from sprung twin axles and a suspended drawbar. With a capacity of 12t, the Pearson CareMaster has a price tag of £12,000.
Cosseted potatoes from field to store with Richard Pearsons self-unloading CareMaster trailer. Note the hydraulically lowered side panel