IN YOUR ORCHARD
below two percent chipped and broken were classified
as standard in the 2016 crop.
Driving Quality Higher and Chip Damage Lower
Growers can improve chipped and broken levels by:
•
Properly harvesting
. This is the best place to start.
Harvesting too early while the nuts are still “green” can
create significant difficulties for the sheller operator as
they hull and shell the crop. Shear roll technology used
to shell almonds must have enough space between
the inside of the shell and the kernel to crack the shell
cleanly without damaging the kernel. Green or wet
kernels do not provide sufficient space, resulting in
increased damage. Embedded shell is also a serious
problem that increases dramatically when almonds are
shelled at excessive moisture levels.
•
Detecting foreign matter in the crop
. Rocks from the
orchard floor and wood that falls from the trees
during the harvest can increase damage to the
kernels. More wood falls from older trees and we
see increased damage levels from older orchards.
Sheller operators have reported reduced damage
levels where growers pull wood from the crop
by conditioning windrows just after sweeping, by
employing de-sticker equipment during the harvest, or
both. Pulling wood from the windrows can also help
to reduce the level of chipped and broken kernels. As
the old saying goes, “garbage in, garbage out.”
•
Stockpiling
. Not all almonds are stockpiled at harvest,
nor should they be. But stockpiling almonds, even for
a few days, allows moisture levels in the harvested
crop to equalize, providing for easier shelling and a
potential reduction in damage. While moisture levels
can reach equilibrium in a stockpile, green or wet
almonds will not dry in a stockpile.
•
Proper setup and operation of the shelling equipment
.
This plays a role in the quality of the almonds
produced and the level of damage sustained during
shelling. Every machine has an optimum operating
range at which it performs at its highest efficiency.
Shelling equipment is no different. However, given
optimum product, your sheller operator will be able
to produce the highest quality almonds at the highest
efficiencies.
Blue Diamond
also works with sheller
operations throughout the Central Valley to help
them optimize their equipment and reduce chipped
and broken levels in our grower’s deliveries. Sheller
managers can contact their
Blue Diamond
Regional
Manager for more information.
A Note on Producing Inshell
We’ve already noted a few special points for growers
producing almonds for inshell sales. This pertains mainly to
Nonpareil, Sonora and Independence inshell. Two factors
rise to the forefront when considering producing these
varieties as inshell:
1. Nonpareil, Sonora and Independence have thinner,
more open shells, making them more susceptible to
damage from NOW and ants. As previously mentioned,
it is nearly impossible to remove reject nuts during the
hulling process. However, rejects can be reduced during
shelling. The maximum reject level that qualifies as
“High Quality Inshell” is 2.5 percent. The maximum level
that qualifies for “High Quality Meats” is two percent.
Pre-harvest sampling of almonds with a reject level
as high as four percent will not return the maximum
premiums if delivered as inshell. However, if the same
crop is shelled and delivered as meats, the reject level
may be reduced down to two percent or less, qualifying
for “High Quality Meats” and earning a higher value to
the grower.
2. Foreign material levels from excess hull or hull fragments
are a significant problem in inshell deliveries. For the
best success, almonds grown for inshell must hang in the
tree longer than those produced for shelling. This allows
the hulls to dry and open fully, providing for better
separation and cleaning during hulling.
These factors can be at odds with each other. Delaying
harvest to provide for better hulling when producing inshell
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