What is Jatropha?
Jatropha offers a viable solution to a needed reliable bio-fuel source.  Some of the advantages of the jatropha plant include:

• It grows on marginal soil

• It is drought tolerant and has low water use

• It is a high energy crop

• It grows a seed with high oil content

• The oil it produces is high quality

• Its yield per acre makes it economically viable

• It has a low labor input requirement

• It does not compete with food production

These benefits are attracting worldwide attention and are pushing the development of jatropha plantations. 

Harvesting Jatropha
One missing link in the production of jatropha oil is a good method of harvesting.  This is where Oxbo International is focusing its effort.  Testing and field trials have been completed and a viable solution to harvest needs is now available.

Oxbo International is now offering a mechanical jatropha harvester.

Oxbo's jatropha harvester is based on other Oxbo over the row harvesters that have been developed for grapes, berries, and coffee. Oxbo's years of experience in these markets allows them to offer a variety of options to the jatropha farmer.

Oxbo's jatropha harvester also offers a variety of shaking methods. After extensive field trials, Oxbo's Dynarotor® picking system appears to offer a solution for selectively harvesting only the ripe jatropha, leaving under-ripe fruit to further develop and be picked at a later date.

Why mechanically harvest Jatropha?
Jatropha oil appears to be an answer to the growing bio-fuel demand in the world. Mechanically harvesting this crop will be required to make it a viable commercial fuel source as hand harvesting is labor-intensive and will require inordinate numbers of workers.

What is more, mechanically harvesting jatropha enables growers to manage their harvest by picking the fruit only when ripe and picking with several passes through the field during the growing season.

Another advantage to Oxbo's mechanical harvest is its ability to put in long, continuous hours and days of work. With proper maintenance and staffing, it can pick over 10 hours per day and 7 days per week.

Other over-the-row harvested crops, like blueberries and raspberries, have proven mechanical harvesting to be the most cost effective method of picking, conveying, and cleaning the fruit in the field.

For more information on the Oxbo line of mechanical jatropha harvester, please contact us at jatropha@oxbocorp.com.