Conceptual Development of Automated Harvester for Tall Oil Palm Tree

Innovation and invention in field mechanization for oil palm sector has created a variety of advancement in technology. The change in oil palm operation to mechanization will overcome the problem of labour shortage occurrence in oil palm sector. The problem occurs in harvesting tall oil palm is the height of oil palm that causes difficulty to cut the fresh fruit bunch by using manual labour. Moreover, the use of automated harvester also will make the harvesting operation easier without the requirement of skilled labour and ensuring labour safety. The automated harvester has advantages and disadvantages that need to be improved in meeting the oil palm requirement. This study overviews the mechanization that are used in harvesting tall oil palm. This research project has resulted in the development of high technology mechanization based on previously developed machine for harvesting fresh fruit bunches (FFB) at 10 meter and above of oil palm age tress. However, the previous developed machines cannot be accepted in the current and widely practiced Industrial revolution 4.0 (IR4.0). Mechanization approach makes harvesting tall oil palm a reality to overcome the problem that normally occur in oil palm sector due to height of oil palm.