Most of us eat some type of specialty crop every single day. Whether you’re eating your fruits and vegetables, or even using certain seasonings to help complete that perfect dish, you’re using specialty crops.
N'agbanyeghị mgbasawanye nke ihe ọkụkụ pụrụ iche - yana eziokwu ha ugbu a nwere uru ahịa nke ijeri $79.8 (nke bụ ihe karịrị 16% nke mkpokọta ọrụ ugbo) - ọtụtụ mgbe, a na-eleghara akụkụ a nke ọrụ ugbo anya.
Ọ dị mfe ịghọta ihe kpatara ya. “Ihe ubi pụrụ iche” bụ okwu sara mbara nke ukwuu, nke gụnyere ọtụtụ ihe dị iche iche. Dị ka 2004 Farm Bill si kwuo, Ọpụrụiche kụrụ na-akọwa dị ka "mkpụrụ osisi na akwụkwọ nri, mkpụrụ osisi, mkpụrụ osisi a mịrị amị, ihe ọkụkụ, na ihe ọkụkụ (gụnyere flora)." Ọbụna nkọwa a sara mbara, ebe ọ bụ na ọtụtụ ngwaahịa dị iche iche nwere ike ịdaba n'okpuru "mkpụrụ osisi" na "akwukwo nri." Ọtụtụ mgbe, mgbe anyị na-ekwu maka ọrụ ugbo, a na-elekwasị anya na ya bụ isi n'ihe ọkụkụ ma ọ bụ ọrụ ugbo anụmanụ. Ọ bụ ezie na ihe ọkụkụ n'ahịrị bụ ihe ọkụkụ ole na ole ahọpụtara nke a na-ejikarị ngwakọta na-emejupụta ọtụtụ n'ime ala ugbo US, a na-ahụkarị ihe ọkụkụ pụrụ iche na California na Florida.
Otú ọ dị, ọnụ ọgụgụ nke ihe ọkụkụ pụrụ iche a na-akụ na-amụbawanye na mpaghara n'ofe United States. Achọpụtara atụmatụ nso nso a Enwere ugbua ihe karịrị ugbo 184,000 pụrụ iche nke gbasara ihe karịrị nde acres 10.4 nke ala ubi.. N'agbanyeghị eziokwu na mmepụta ihe ọkụkụ pụrụ iche nke US bụ akụkụ buru ibu nke mmepụta ugbo US n'ozuzu ya, ọ na-eche ọtụtụ ihe ịma aka ihu.
U.S. producers often find themselves at a disadvantage on a global (and even domestic) scale because, in most areas across the country, year-round production is impossible. And, unlike with row crops, specialty crops can’t be raised in bulk and stored to be sold throughout the year due to freshness concerns. In addition, specialty crops are often much more weather sensitive than their counterparts. This makes them extremely vulnerable to instances like the recent extreme weather seen across the southern part of the U.S., one which resulted in specialty crop losses of more than $600 million.
Nke ka njọ bụ na agha azụmahịa na-aga n'ihu metụtakwara mmepụta ụlọ. US na-aga n'ihu na-ebubata ọtụtụ ngwaahịa ihe ọkụkụ ọpụrụiche, nke na-agbada ọnụ ahịa ụlọ, yana mba ndị ọzọ ejiri tarifu dị elu kụrie ihe ọkụkụ pụrụ iche nke US mepụtara. Ka ọ dị ugbu a, Europe amanyela ihe karịrị ijeri $4 na tarifu n'ọtụtụ ngwaahịa US. Mmetụta nke tarifu ndị ahụ nwere ike ịbụ nnukwu, yana NC State estimating sweet potato exports alone potentially seeing a reduction of $70 million.
And, as is the case with most things, specialty crops have been negatively impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Before COVID-19 emerged last spring, e mere atụmatụ na mmepụta strawberry Florida naanị enweghị 30% nke ọrụ ọ chọrọ. Ihe ubi pụrụ iche bụ otu n'ime ụdị ọrụ ugbo kacha arụ ọrụ nke dị ugbu a. Nke a bụ n'ihi na ọtụtụ ọrụ nwere ntụkwasị obi siri ike na ndị ọrụ ugbo H-2A nwa oge. N'oge ọrịa a, ọtụtụ n'ime ndị ọrụ a ebipụla ịbịa US, ndị anabatara ga-enwerịrị ebe obibi pụrụ iche, ebe ndị na-emepụta ga-enyekwa ndị ọrụ a ụlọ. Agbanyeghị, tupu ọrịa na-efe efe, agbanyeghị, ọchịchọ a na-achọ ndị ọrụ agafeelarị oke.
Ọ bụ ezie na ọtụtụ ihe ịma aka dị, ọ bụghị akụkọ ọjọọ niile maka ngalaba ihe ọkụkụ pụrụ iche. A na-atụ anya ọnụ ọgụgụ uto kwa afọ nke 2.6% n'ime afọ iri na-abịanụ, na Ọnụ ahịa ngwa ahịa arịgororị ihe fọrọ nke nta ka ọ bụrụ 40% kemgbe 2011. Otú ọ dị, n'ikpeazụ, a ka ga-ahụ ma ọ bụrụ na ihe ịma aka ndị na-eche ihe ọkụkụ pụrụ iche ga-ejedebe ókè ndị na-emepụta ihe na-enwe ike iji ohere maka ito eto.
Mmụbawanye ọhụrụ n'etiti ndị na-emepụta akụrụngwa
Specialty crops are often sold in the form they are harvested, largely because aesthetics matter to many consumers. This has made developing harvesting equipment even more difficult, as most people don’t want to buy bruised or damaged fruits and vegetables. As a result, several manufacturers have found ways to develop machinery that can harvest these products in a gentle enough way, so as not to damage the product. Doing so has helped make the equipment more appealing and for some specialty crop products, such as potatoes, harvesting equipment has been around for ages. However, for most harvesting equipment is still relatively new and not as widely adopted.
While the mechanization of specialty crop harvesting has been slow and very difficult due to the nature of the crop and consumer expectations, a number of products are already on the market today, including harvesters from AEM member companies New Holland, Pellenc, Gregoire, The Morning Star Co. and Oxbo.
Ọtụtụ n'ime igwe ndị a nwere ike dakọba n'ọrụ mmadụ iri abụọ n'otu elekere. Nke a na-aga n'ụzọ dị ukwuu n'inyere aka na-edozi ụkọ ọrụ nke ụlọ ọrụ a na-eche ihu, ma na-enyekwa nri nri dị nchebe na ntụkwasị obi. N'ibelata mkpa ọrụ, igwe na-emeziwanye oke ndị nrụpụta n'ihi mbelata ụgwọ ọrụ nke a ga-achọrịrị. N'ihe niile, ha na-eme ka ụlọ ọrụ ahụ mara mma site n'echiche ndị na-emepụta ihe site na njedebe dị mma na onye ọrụ n'ihi mbelata ọrụ anụ ahụ na ụgwọ ọrụ ka mma, ọrụ ndị ọkachamara.
Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM”s) Specialty Crops Leadership Group
The previously mentioned harvesting companies, along with John Deere (specialty crop tractors), Kubota (specialty crop tractors and sprayers), and GUSS Automation (autonomous orchard sprayers), comprise AEM’s newly formed Specialty Crop Leadership Group. The group was formed in alignment with AEM’s Ag Sector Board’s recently approved priority of expanding AEM’s reach and role into specialty crops. Ultimately, the purpose of this group is to help identify how AEM can better serve the specialty crop industry as a whole. Throughout the upcoming year, plans are in the works to educate both end user and regulators about specialty crops – specifically why specialty crops matter and the importance of making people aware of the technologies that exist.
Despite being often overlooked by the general public, specialty crops are now among the largest agricultural outputs in the U.S. today. And, as previously mentioned, both opportunities and challenges exist for what is one of the most labor-intensive industries around. However, AEM is committed to working with company leaders to better meet the needs, wants and demands of equipment end users who have helped make the specialty crop industry what it is today. Accomplishing all these things, and many more, is what AEM Leadership Groups are all about.
Mụta ihe banyere AEM’s Specialty Crop Leadership Group na other leadership groups like it.
- Austin Gellings, Association of Equipment Manufacturers Agricultural Services Manager