Labor aids in raisin pickup and boxing an analysis of raisin grape mechanization in Fresno County, 1968

Less lifting by hand, fewer workers, and lower costs per ton for the grower, were obvious results shown in this analysis of mechanical aids and bulk handling methods for all of the Fresno County raisin pickup and boxing operations studied. In six of the eight operations using mechanical aids, a savings of $2 or more per ton was realized—over and above the cost of equipment. The switch from field boxes to bulk handling bins, alone, was an important factor in both labor saving and cost reduction. However, it was impossible in this study to separate benefits of bulk handling from benefits of pickup machines, because of the lack of uniformity between individual grower systems.