Exploring Innovative Design Solutions for Pineapple Harvesting in the Context of Northeast India

Abstract

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is the third most important tropical fruit globally, following banana and citrus. India ranks second in pineapple cultivation (0.11 million hectares) and seventh in production (1.80 million tonnes). Despite its importance, India faces challenges with low productivity (16.81 tonnes per hectare) compared to global leaders like Indonesia (127.29 tonnes per hectare). The northeastern states of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Nagaland are among the top pineapple cultivators, with more than half of the country's total production cultivated organically. The pineapple crop is essential to the region's agriculture and economy. However, the cultivation practices in northeast India involve traditional methods, primarily on hilly terrain under rain-fed conditions. Though preserving fruit quality, the practice of manual harvesting poses labour intensiveness, time consumption, and ergonomic hazards, leading to health issues among farmers. Despite attempts to mechanize harvesting in other major pineapple-producing countries, the rugged, hilly terrain and traditional practices make large machinery impractical in northeast India. The unique challenges of northeast India require tailored solutions, possibly involving ergonomically designed, manually operated tools to address the prevalent issues and improve harvesting efficiency. Therefore, addressing the challenges in cultivation practices and manual harvesting methods through targeted research and interventions is vital to enhance productivity, reduce drudgery, and improve the overall well-being of pineapple farmers in the region.