Most of us eat some type of specialty crop every single day. Whether you’re eating your fruits and vegetables, or even using certain seasonings to help complete that perfect dish, you’re using specialty crops.
Na dia eo aza ny fihanaky ny vokatra manokana - miaraka amin'ny zava-misy izy ireo amin'izao fotoana izao dia manana sandan'ny $ 79.8 lavitrisa (izay mitentina mihoatra ny 16% amin'ny fitambaran'ny vokatra ara-pambolena) – matetika no tsy voajery ity ampahan'ny fambolena ity.
Mora azo ny antony. Ny teny hoe "voankazo manokana" dia teny midadasika, ary misy zavatra maro samihafa. Araka ny volavolan-dalàna momba ny fambolena 2004, voafaritra ny voly manokana toy ny “voankazo sy anana, voanjo hazo, voankazo maina, horticulture, ary voly fiompiana (anisan’izany ny floriculture)”. Na dia io famaritana io aza dia midadasika, satria ny vokatra isan-karazany dia mety ho eo ambanin'ny "voankazo" sy "legioma". Ary matetika, rehefa miresaka momba ny fambolena isika, dia mifantoka indrindra amin'ny voly andalana na ny fiompiana biby. Raha ny voly andalana dia voafantina vitsivitsy izay alaina matetika miaraka amin'ny fitambarana ary mandrafitra ny ankamaroan'ny tany fambolena amerikana, ny voly manokana dia matetika hita any California sy Florida.
Na izany aza, mitombo hatrany ny isan'ny voly manokana ambolena any amin'ny faritra manerana an'i Etazonia. Tombanana vao haingana hita Misy toeram-pambolena manokana maherin'ny 184,000 ankehitriny mirefy 10.4 tapitrisa hektara.. Na dia eo aza ny zava-misy fa ny famokarana vokatra manokana amerikana dia ampahany lehibe amin'ny famokarana fambolena amerikana amin'ny ankapobeny, dia miatrika fanamby lehibe maromaro izany.
U.S. producers often find themselves at a disadvantage on a global (and even domestic) scale because, in most areas across the country, year-round production is impossible. And, unlike with row crops, specialty crops can’t be raised in bulk and stored to be sold throughout the year due to freshness concerns. In addition, specialty crops are often much more weather sensitive than their counterparts. This makes them extremely vulnerable to instances like the recent extreme weather seen across the southern part of the U.S., one which resulted in specialty crop losses of more than $600 million.
Ny tena maharatsy ny zava-misy dia voa mafy ihany koa ny famokarana ao an-toerana noho ny ady ara-barotra. Manohy manafatra vokatra vokarina manokana maromaro i Etazonia, izay mampidina ny vidin-tsolika ao an-toerana, ary ny firenena hafa dia namely ny vokatra manokana vokarin'i Etazonia miaraka amin'ny sarany ambony. Mandritra izany fotoana izany, Nametraka karama maherin'ny 4 lavitrisa dolara i Eoropa amin'ny vokatra amerikana maromaro. Ny fiantraikan'ireo karama ireo dia mety ho lehibe, miaraka amin'ny NC State estimating sweet potato exports alone potentially seeing a reduction of $70 million.
And, as is the case with most things, specialty crops have been negatively impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Before COVID-19 emerged last spring, Tombanana fa ny famokarana frezy any Florida fotsiny dia tsy ampy 30% amin'ny asa ilainy. Ny voly manokana dia iray amin'ireo karazana fambolena be mpampiasa indrindra misy ankehitriny. Izany dia satria ny ankamaroan'ny asa dia miantehitra mafy amin'ny mpiasan'ny fambolena vonjimaika H-2A. Nandritra ny areti-mifindra, maro amin'ireo mpiasa ireo no tapaka tsy ho tonga any Etazonia, ary ireo nahazo alalana dia tsy maintsy nanana trano manokana, satria ny mpamokatra dia tsy maintsy manome trano ho an'ireo mpiasa ireo ihany koa. Na dia talohan'ny areti-mifindra aza dia efa nihoatra lavitra noho ny famatsiana ny fangatahana mpiasa.
Na dia misy aza ny fanamby maro, tsy vaovao ratsy ho an'ny sehatry ny fambolena manokana izany. Ny tahan'ny fitomboana isan-taona 2.6% no vinavinaina mandritra ny folo taona manaraka, ary Efa niakatra efa ho 40% ny vidin’ny entana nanomboka ny taona 2011. Amin'ny farany anefa, ho hita eo raha ny fanamby atrehin'ny voly manokana dia hametra ny halehiben'ny fahafahan'ny mpamokatra manararaotra ny fahafahana mitombo.
Nitombo ny fanavaozana eo amin'ireo mpanamboatra fitaovana
Specialty crops are often sold in the form they are harvested, largely because aesthetics matter to many consumers. This has made developing harvesting equipment even more difficult, as most people don’t want to buy bruised or damaged fruits and vegetables. As a result, several manufacturers have found ways to develop machinery that can harvest these products in a gentle enough way, so as not to damage the product. Doing so has helped make the equipment more appealing and for some specialty crop products, such as potatoes, harvesting equipment has been around for ages. However, for most harvesting equipment is still relatively new and not as widely adopted.
While the mechanization of specialty crop harvesting has been slow and very difficult due to the nature of the crop and consumer expectations, a number of products are already on the market today, including harvesters from AEM member companies New Holland, Pellenc, Gregoire, The Morning Star Co. and Oxbo.
Ny ankamaroan'ireo milina ireo dia afaka mifanandrify amin'ny famoahana olona 20 isan'ora. Mandeha lavitra izany amin'ny fanampiana amin'ny famahana ny tsy fahampian'ny mpiasa atrehin'ity indostria ity, sady manome sakafo azo antoka sy azo antoka kokoa. Amin'ny fampihenana ny filan'ny mpiasa, ny milina dia manatsara ny sisin'ny mpamokatra noho ny fihenan'ny vidin'ny asa izay ilaina raha tsy izany. Amin'ny ankapobeny, ataon'izy ireo manintona kokoa ny indostria amin'ny fomba fijerin'ny mpamokatra amin'ny alàlan'ny fanatsarana ny sisiny sy ny fomba fijerin'ny mpiasa noho ny fihenan'ny asa ara-batana sy ny karama tsara kokoa, ny asa mahay.
Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM”s) Specialty Crops Leadership Group
The previously mentioned harvesting companies, along with John Deere (specialty crop tractors), Kubota (specialty crop tractors and sprayers), and GUSS Automation (autonomous orchard sprayers), comprise AEM’s newly formed Specialty Crop Leadership Group. The group was formed in alignment with AEM’s Ag Sector Board’s recently approved priority of expanding AEM’s reach and role into specialty crops. Ultimately, the purpose of this group is to help identify how AEM can better serve the specialty crop industry as a whole. Throughout the upcoming year, plans are in the works to educate both end user and regulators about specialty crops – specifically why specialty crops matter and the importance of making people aware of the technologies that exist.
Despite being often overlooked by the general public, specialty crops are now among the largest agricultural outputs in the U.S. today. And, as previously mentioned, both opportunities and challenges exist for what is one of the most labor-intensive industries around. However, AEM is committed to working with company leaders to better meet the needs, wants and demands of equipment end users who have helped make the specialty crop industry what it is today. Accomplishing all these things, and many more, is what AEM Leadership Groups are all about.
Mianara bebe kokoa momba ny AEM’s Specialty Crop Leadership Group ary other leadership groups like it.
- Austin Gellings, Association of Equipment Manufacturers Agricultural Services Manager