Economical feasibility of the harvesting and the processing of Jatropha curcas L. seeds in different stage of maturation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the economical feasibility of the harvesting process and the processing of Jatropha seeds, in order to replace the manual operation by semi-mechanized process. The study was composed of three harvesting systems, in which two machines harvested the two sides of the plant, the two machines operating simultaneously on the same line of culture and harvesting. And also two processing systems of the Jathropa fruits: the mechanical thresh with manual separation and the manual thresh. Considering that the operating costs of the mechanized harvesting was 26,2% lower than the obtained using the manual harvesting and that the cost o threshing and partially mechanized separation was 86,5% lower than the manual threshing and separation, we conclude that it is economically viable the replacement of the manual operation by the semi-mechanized.