Invest in technology, says Desert Fruit Namibia

Desert Fruit Namibia, a Namibian-registered private company producing dates and bulbs on the banks of the Orange River, recently showed off new technology in the form of date cage harvesting, attached to new Manitou telehandlers.

This new equipment has been designed and implemented in association with the Namibian company, Expert Mining Solutions.

Seth Holmes, managing director of Desert Fruit Namibia says the new technology enhances the company’s output and contributes towards a more effective and efficient operation. The new cages can carry up to six people and hold more than one ton of produce before needing an offload.

“Not only do these cages carry more weight, enabling us to harvest more with each lift, they are also equipped with lights for night harvesting to avoid the day-time heat while guaranteeing a fresher product,” Holmes says.

Anton Ferreira, managing director of Expert Mining Solutions Namibia-Manitou/Gehl, says this technology has not been used in Namibia before.

“Date trees can reach 20 metres in height and most trees over ten years of age cannot be reached with a ladder. Therefore, this equipment was designed to reach a maximum height of 18 metres while ensuring the safety of the operator and cage worker. Electrical and hydraulic closing operations, one of the main features, for example, guarantee that control is exercised over the speed of operation and safety of handling,” Ferreira says.

Desert Fruit Namibia trained six operators, while all cage workers have undergone safety training and are issued with protective clothing and harness equipment.