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Harvesting potato crops
Minimising damage
Planning ahead, routine maintenance and adapting machinery settings to the conditions are key areas to reducing the risk of damaging crops.
There are many damage points through the harvesting and grading process where tuber damage could occur. Some components, when badly set or operated, will only result in small changes in damage, while others could show a massive reduction in damage if carefully set and operated.
Minimising damage guide
The Minimising Damage guide aims to highlight settings and operations for minimising damage without compromising field or crop conditions. When damage is referred to, it includes both bruising and shatter cracking, both of which are caused by impacts.
Download: Minimising Damage guide 2013 (pdf)
Best practice
Everyone involved in the production and handling of potatoes has a part to play in minimising bruising. To act as reminders of the actions that will help to contribute to reduce bruising, a trailer driver's advice card and series of harvest checklists are available by clicking on the relevant flags below: