Harvesting banana

Harvesting, which is the most labor-intensive activity, also required the most care. Green bananas must be harvested weekly or biweekly, because bananas ready for market one week may be unsuitable for sale the next.

Harvesting is done manually and a cut is made in the side of the pseudostem nearest to the bunch with a knife: the bunch is lowered onto the shoulder and severed.

In the harvesting process, mechanical damage could result from poor harvesting and handling techniques. Soil adhering to fruits (when allowed to fall down during harvesting) at harvest can also cause damage by scarring fruits when the soil is removed or washed away.

Banana bunches are harvested so that fruit reaches the market in a mature green condition. They are then artificially ripened by ethylene gas at ripening centers before being sold to the retail markets.

Various non-destructive maturity indices can be used to determine proper stage for harvesting banana. Farmers judge on the basis of disappearance of angularity, finger dullness, sound made when tapped, shedding of floral relics, days to maturity and proximity to markets.

It is important to harvest banana fruit at the proper maturity stage because fruits do nor ripen well and taste good if harvested immature.
Harvesting banana