DOLE - Harvesting Bananas

Summary

At Dole's Bananito Farm in Costa Rica, sustainable farming techniques and ideal conditions allow year-round harvesting of premium bananas. The process, which spans 12-13 weeks from fruit stem emergence to harvest, involves meticulous care to ensure quality. Bananas are harvested green, protected from damage, and transported via an 80-mile cableway to the packing plant. After washing, inspection, and packaging, they are prepared for long-distance shipping. Throughout the process, Dole emphasizes sustainability, recycling materials, and maintaining quality control, ensuring fresh, high-quality bananas reach consumers.

Takeaways

• 🌱 Dole's Bananito Farm in Costa Rica is renowned for its perfect growing conditions and sustainable farming techniques, enabling year-round premium banana production.
• 📏 It takes 12 to 13 weeks for banana plants to reach harvest maturity from the appearance of the fruit stem.
• 👨‍🌾 Dole's harvesters, known as 'bananeros', assess the readiness of bananas by measuring the fingers on each plant.
• 🗓️ Harvesting is a six-day-a-week operation, with a team of three bananeros responsible for specific sections of the farm.
• 🟢 Bananas are harvested green to allow for controlled ripening, ensuring they reach consumers in perfect condition.
• 🛡️ Protective foam padding is used to prevent damage to the banana hands during the harvesting process.
• 🔪 Harvested bananas are cut from the plant using a machete and carried to a cableway system for transport.
• 🚂 The cableway system, approximately 80 miles long, connects all fields to the central packing plant.
• 🧼 At the packing station, bananas are washed with chlorinated water and undergo strict quality control inspections.
• ♻️ Leftover banana stems and protective materials are recycled, contributing to Dole's commitment to sustainability.
• 📦 Bananas are packed into specially designed boxes for long-distance transport, ensuring minimal damage during shipment.

Q & A

Where is Dole's Bananito Farm located?

Dole's Bananito Farm is located in Costa Rica.

What is unique about the growing conditions at Dole's Bananito Farm?

The farm has perfect growing conditions and uses sustainable farming techniques, which allow for the year-round harvest of premium bananas.

How long does it take for banana plants to be ready for harvest?

It takes 12 to 13 weeks from the time the banana plants' fruit stem first appears until they are harvested.

How are the bananas determined to be ready for harvest?

Dole bananeros measure the banana fingers on each plant to determine if the fruit is ready to harvest.

How often does harvesting take place at the farm?

Harvesting takes place six days a week.

What is the average weight of a banana bunch carried by a bananero?

The average weight of a banana bunch carried by a bananero is about 65 pounds.

Why are bananas harvested while they are still green?

Bananas are harvested while they are still green so they can ripen to perfection just as they reach consumers.

What is the purpose of the cableway system used on the farm?

The cableway system is used to transport harvested banana stems from the fields to the packing plant at the center of the farm.

How long is the cableway system on Dole's Bananito Farm?

The cableway system on Dole's Bananito Farm is about 80 miles in total length.

What is done with the protective foam padding after the bananas are harvested?

The protective foam padding is inserted to safeguard the sensitive banana hands and is sent back to the field to be used again after the bananas are harvested.

How are banana clusters prepared for packaging?

Banana hands are cut into clusters of five to seven fingers, which are then placed on trays and weighed to ensure the correct amount of bananas per shipping carton.

What is the purpose of the specially perforated material used to wrap the bananas?

The specially perforated material allows the fruit to ripen while in the boxes, meeting each customer's specific needs.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Sustainable Banana Harvesting at Dole's Farm

This paragraph describes the sustainable farming practices at Dole's Bananito Farm in Costa Rica, where premium bananas are harvested year-round. The process begins with the maturation of the banana plants, which takes 12 to 13 weeks. Dole workers, known as 'bananeros', assess the ripeness of the bananas and harvest them while still green to allow for optimal ripening by the time they reach consumers. Harvesting is a six-day-a-week operation, with a team of three workers responsible for a section of the farm. The harvested bananas are carefully protected with foam padding to prevent damage. The entire process, from harvesting to packing, is designed to be gentle on the fruit to maintain its quality. The farm's cableway system, which is about 80 miles long, transports the harvested bananas to the packing plant. Quality control measures are strictly followed, with each batch of bananas being numbered and traced back to its origin. The bananas are washed, inspected, and processed to remove excess latex before being packed into boxes designed for long-distance transport. The packing process is manual, with workers ensuring each banana cluster meets Dole's quality standards before being packaged and prepared for shipping.

05:01

🤝 Dedicated Workers Ensure Quality Bananas

The second paragraph emphasizes the role of dedicated workers in ensuring the quality of Dole bananas. It highlights the hands-on care and attention provided at every stage of the process, from harvesting to packing. The workers' expertise and commitment to quality control are crucial in maintaining the high standards of Dole bananas, making them a healthy and delicious choice for consumers worldwide.

Keywords

💡Bananeros

Bananeros are the workers who harvest bananas on the farm. They play a crucial role in the video's theme of sustainable farming and premium banana production. In the script, a team of three bananeros is mentioned to harvest the plants in a section of the farm, illustrating the manual labor involved in the process.

💡Sustainable farming techniques

Sustainable farming techniques refer to methods used to grow crops in a way that maintains the health of the environment and the productivity of the land over time. The video emphasizes these techniques as a key aspect of their operation, allowing for year-round harvests and premium quality bananas.

💡Harvesting

Harvesting in the context of the video is the process of cutting the banana plants when they are ready. It's a critical step in the banana production process, as it determines the quality and readiness of the bananas for consumption. The script mentions that harvesting takes place six days a week, and the bananas are harvested while still green.

💡Protective foam padding

Protective foam padding is used to safeguard the banana hands from damage during the harvesting process. This is an example of the care taken to maintain the quality of the bananas, as mentioned in the script where the padding is inserted to protect the sensitive banana hands from spotting and other skin damage.

💡Cableway system

The cableway system is a method of transportation used on the farm to move harvested bananas from the fields to the packing plant. It's an integral part of the video's narrative, showcasing the efficient and organized manner in which the bananas are transported, with the system covering all fields and being about 80 miles in total length.

💡Quality control

Quality control is a process mentioned in the video to ensure that the bananas meet Dole's high standards. It involves various checks and measures throughout the harvesting and packing process. The script describes how each train of bananas is numbered and inspected, and if they do not meet standards, harvesting is halted in the originating field.

💡Recycling

Recycling in the video refers to the practice of reusing materials such as the protective plastic bags and the corner boards of the shipping pallets. This is part of the farm's commitment to sustainability, as highlighted in the script where leftover banana stems and protective plastic bags are recycled.

💡Post-harvest treatment

Post-harvest treatment is a series of actions taken after the bananas are harvested to preserve their freshness. This is crucial for the bananas to remain in good condition during transportation and storage. The script mentions that the cut stems receive a post-harvest treatment to maintain their quality.

💡Packaging

Packaging in the video refers to the process of placing the bananas into boxes designed for long-distance transport. The script describes how the bananas are carefully laid in boxes, wrapped in specially perforated material to allow for ripening, and then packed into boxes that are assembled on-site for quality control.

💡Traceability

Traceability is the ability to track the history, location, or application of items, which is important for quality control and sustainability. In the video, each pallet of bananas is given a unique identification code, ensuring that the entire process from harvest to box can be traced, as mentioned in the script.

💡Dole sticker

The Dole sticker is a symbol of exceptional quality in the context of the video. It is applied to the bananas after they pass quality inspections and are ready for packaging. The script mentions the bananas receiving the Dole sticker, indicating that they meet the company's standards for quality.

Highlights

Perfect growing conditions and sustainable farming techniques are used at Dole's Bananito Farm in Costa Rica.

Premium bananas are harvested year-round at the farm.

It takes 12 to 13 weeks for banana plants to fruit from the time they first appear.

Dole bananeros measure banana fingers to determine ripeness for harvest.

Harvesting occurs six days a week by a team of three workers.

Bananas are harvested green to ripen to perfection before reaching consumers.

Protective foam padding is used to safeguard banana hands from damage.

The entire banana stem is cut with a machete and carried to a cableway system.

The cableway system is about 80 miles in total length and serves all fields on the farm.

Banana stems are transported to the packing plant with the aid of a mule.

Protective pads are removed and recycled for quality control.

Each train of bananas is numbered for traceability and quality control.

Bananas are washed with chlorinated water and inspected for quality.

Banana hands are cut and placed in water to remove excess latex.

Leftover banana stems and protective plastic bags are recycled.

Banana clusters are cut into groups of five to seven fingers.

Bananas receive a post-harvest treatment to preserve freshness.

Bananas are packed into boxes designed for long-distance transport.

Boxes are assembled on-site for quality control.

Banana clusters are carefully laid in boxes to minimize damage during shipment.

Dole bananas are packaged in various ways to meet customer needs.

A final weight check ensures each box contains the correct amount of fruit.

Pallets are given unique identification codes for traceability.

Corner boards are made from recycled materials as part of Dole's sustainability commitment.

The entire process from harvest to box takes only two to three hours.

Dedicated workers provide hands-on care at every stage of the process.

Transcripts

[Music]

at dole's bananito farm in costa rica

the combination of perfect growing

conditions and sustainable farming

techniques

allows us to harvest premium bananas

year round

it takes 12 to 13 weeks from the time

the banana plants fruit stem first

appears

to the time the bananas are harvested

dole bananeros measure the banana

fingers on each plant

to determine if the fruit is ready to

harvest

harvesting takes place six days a week a

team of three benineros will harvest the

plants in this section of the farm

bananas are harvested while they are

still green so they can ripen to

perfection

just as they reach consumers first

protective foam padding is inserted to

safeguard the sensitive banana hands

from spotting and other skin damage

the entire stem is cut off with a

machete onto the waiting shoulders of a

banana wearing a protective pad

the leaves of the harvested mother plant

are cut off and the remaining stalk

provides nutrients to the new daughter

plant

the cut leaves are left on the ground

where they will become nutrient-rich

humus for the next generation of banana

plants

the bananero carries the bunch which

weighs about 65 pounds

to the nearby cableway system

once 75 bunches are harvested and loaded

onto the cableway system

the train of banana stems is pulled back

to the packing plant at the center of

the farm

usually with the aid of a mule the

cableway system encompasses

all the fields on our farm and is about

80 miles in total length

[Music]

as the bunches arrive at the packing

station the protective pads are removed

from the hands

and sent back to the field to be used

again

for quality control each train of

bananas is numbered

and the location of the harvest as well

as the harvesting team is recorded

the fresh bananas are washed with

chlorinated water

and thoroughly inspected if the bananas

do not meet

dole's stringent quality standards

harvesting is immediately halted in the

field from which they originated

banana hands are cut from the stem and

placed in a tank of water to protect

them and to remove the excess latex

found naturally in bananas

the leftover banana stems and the

protective plastic bags are then

recycled

[Music]

[Applause]

a gentle water current in the tank moves

the banana hands to the next station

where they receive another quality

inspection and are cut into clusters of

five to seven fingers

the clusters float to the next

workstation where they are removed from

the water tank and placed on trays

scales are programmed to accept the

correct amount of bananas per shipping

carton

the trays are then transported by

conveyor to the next workstation

where they receive the worldwide symbol

of exceptional quality

the dole sticker the cut stems then

receive a post-harvest

treatment to preserve freshness the

bananas are now

ready to be packed into boxes

specifically designed for long distance

transport

these boxes are assembled right on site

for quality control packers personally

identify

each box they pack banana clusters are

carefully laid in the box using methods

that minimize

any damage during shipment each box

contains about 40 pounds of bananas

the bananas are wrapped in specially

perforated material

which allows the fruit to ripen while in

the boxes

to meet each customer's specific needs

dole bananas are packaged

several different ways loose banana

hands

single bananas and sealed in consumer

bags

a last weight check ensures that each

box contains the correct amount of fruit

the entire process from harvest to box

is only

two to three hours the boxes are then

stacked on

pallets in preparation for transport for

quality control

and traceability throughout the shipping

process

each pallet is given its own unique

pallet identification code

as part of our commitment to

sustainability the corner boards are

made from recycled materials

sometimes cardboard is used but usually

they are composed

of recycled plastic created from the

bags utilized to protect our bananas in

the field

once full the pallets are loaded into

shipping containers that will take them

to a dual

ship at a nearby port as you have seen

bananas are quite delicate so very

little of our process is automated

to bring you this healthy delicious

fruit dedicated workers provide hands-on

care and attention

at every stage