Hazelnut Harvesting System Cuts Labor Costs by 80%
· Dünya Gazetesi
Producers in Ordu who adopted a net covering system with 50% grant support have reduced high labor and daily wage expenses on their uneven hazelnut orchards by one-fifth.
Significant Savings with Hazelnut Net System
Brothers Halil and Mehmet Öziş, who produce in the Karaağaç neighborhood of Altınordu district in Ordu, have switched to a net system in their 17.5-decare hazelnut orchard with 50% grant support provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. This covering infrastructure, established to reduce increasing harvest costs on the steep slopes of the Black Sea, has reduced labor expenses in hazelnut harvesting by 80%. Producers completed the collection process, which they previously finished in 4 days with a team of 26 people and paid approximately 100 daily wages for, with much lower costs.
Reduced Labor Need on Uneven Orchards
Hazelnut producer Halil Öziş, explaining the labor advantage provided by the method, stated:
"After implementing the net system, including setting up and collecting this net, we need about 20 workers. Normally, a family of 2 can collect it in a week, and the labor cost stays with the producer. I definitely recommend the net system to all producers."
This way, high labor payments that strain producers' budgets have directly contributed to the farmer's savings.
High Yield on Ninety Percent Slopes
Hazelnut producer Mehmet Öziş evaluated the ease of the system on steep slopes with the following statement:
"It saves us from the daily wage burden to a great extent. There are no issues with stones, thorns, or slopes. If laid out properly, you can harvest a place that 50 people would collect with just 10 people; it's very beneficial. With the net system, 2 people at home can easily collect their 5 tons of hazelnuts. It can even be used on 90% sloped land. Normally, for 5 tons of hazelnuts, the cost would be for 100-125 workers, but with this method, 2 people can collect it in 10 days."