Harvesting survey |
Information about Project 2015/080 – Sensors for improved harvesting feedback: A feasibility study
Lack of incentives for key parties in the sugarcane supply chain has resulted in low adoption of harvesting best management practice (HBMP). Poor harvest quality is estimated to cost the industry over $50 m annually.
A revision of the payment structure is critical to driving practice change; however, there is currently no measurement mechanism available to facilitate a quality-based payment system.
Real-time or rapid sensors in the harvesting environment will improve harvest quality across the board by allowing (a) contractors to adjust harvester settings based on loss and quality indicators in real-time, (b) growers to monitor contractor’s performance and adherence to HBMP, (c) mills to receive feed-forward information on the quality of incoming feedstock, and (d) providing the data for a quality-based payment system.
Sensing technology must provide meaningful information about actionable issues on-the-go, be easy to implement and use, and have potential to improve productivity by recovering existing losses.
Financial and time constraints prevent in-field, real-world evaluation of the suitability of individual sensing options. Instead, our desktop feasibility study will identify the sensors and systems with the greatest likelihood of delivering real value to the industry, and identify strategies for further research in field-based suitability testing.
Real-time or rapid sensors in the harvesting environment will improve harvest quality across the board by allowing (a) contractors to adjust harvester settings based on loss and quality indicators in real-time, (b) growers to monitor contractor’s performance and adherence to HBMP, (c) mills to receive feed-forward information on the quality of incoming feedstock, and (d) providing the data for a quality-based payment system.
Sensing technology must provide meaningful information about actionable issues on-the-go, be easy to implement and use, and have potential to improve productivity by recovering existing losses.
Financial and time constraints prevent in-field, real-world evaluation of the suitability of individual sensing options. Instead, our desktop feasibility study will identify the sensors and systems with the greatest likelihood of delivering real value to the industry, and identify strategies for further research in field-based suitability testing.
Key components of the feasibility study for this project include: understanding the current climate around harvesting best management and the use of sensors in routine practice; and identifying where sensors would provide most value to harvesting contractors and the greater industry moving forward. This information will be gathered through surveys such as this, as well as regional focus groups, face-to-face consultation and telephone discussions.
Please help us to gather your thoughts, opinions and insights on the use of sensors in the harvesting environment by completing this survey. You may also like to attend one of the associated, regional focus groups.
This survey is also available in paper format. If you would prefer to complete a paper version and have not received one by mail, please contact Danielle Austin on 07 3331 3300 or at daustin@sugarresearch.com.au.