A project scoping document to SRDC on harvesting RD&E

Abstract

Mechanical harvesting of sugarcane has been a major success story for the Australian sugar industry. However, the Australian sugarcane industry has suffered a plateau in productivity (Wilson and Leslie 1997) and there is considerable evidence that mechanisation is a component of this plateau in performance. SRDC has provided significant investment in harvester technology and harvesting operations. This research has been fragmented and has not been carried out within the context of the supply chain or a farming system framework. However, this research has clearly shown the magnitude of harvesting losses and their ultimate effect on productivity is clearly associated with the harvesting system.