Context

The fruit is harvested not in one step, but in several steps where in each step only the product at the right point of ripeness should be harvested and any overripe product discarded. If carried out correctly, this procedure allows a significant reduction in waste and product that cannot be marketed as fresh, increasing the yield per hectare of the harvest. However, the personnel used by farms in harvesting are almost always seasonal and are usually hired exclusively for the harvesting campaign, which typically lasts a few weeks. This implies that their training mostly takes place at the processing stage and involves a level of 'knowledge of the trade' that is almost never really adequate. After being harvested, the product is delivered to the warehouses, which, after an initial evaluation and possible sorting, provide cooling and all subsequent processing. An improperly performed harvest in the filed requires long sorting times in the warehouse, which in turn leads to increased costs, a delay for subsequent processing, and a lowering of overall quality and risk of returns. It is therefore evident how poor management of the harvesting phase within the farm produces a chain of wasted time and money that consequently affects the quality and economic value of the final product. FruitGuard has shown that it is possible today to use inexpensive and easily manageable tools to track products, transferring information about them and their characteristics to where they are needed.