Sugar comes from sugarcane, a plant native to the tropics. Consumers worldwide rely on sugar to sweeten food and beverages. Although harvesting sugarcane remains labor-intensive, in some countries, sugarcane harvesters have removed manual labor from the process.
Function
Sugarcane harvesters are agricultural machines designed to cut sugarcane and prepare stalks for processing. Farmers operate harvesters from inside a cab similar to that of a tractor, while mechanical attachments slice stems, compact soil and transport stalks to sugarcane mills.
Benefits
Manual sugarcane harvesting requires farmers to cut sugarcane stalks by hand with machetes or knives, according to the "Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health." Sugarcane farmers usually become fatigued after a few hours of work and require frequent breaks. Manual sugarcane harvesting causes muscle and joint injuries. Mechanical harvesters alleviate the strenuous physical activity and dangers associated with manual harvesting.
Effects
Sugarcane harvesters prepare large quantities of sugarcane for production in a short amount of time. In 2009, "The Hindu" newspaper reported that sugarcane harvesters reap up to 150 tons of sugarcane per day. With such efficiency, farmers can process sugarcane and realize financial gain faster than when harvesting sugarcane manually.
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