Development and evaluation of a new generation oil palm motorised cutter (cantas Evo)

Abstract

MPOB has introduced an oil palm motorised cutter called Cantas for palms below 5 m harvesting height. Cantas could double up harvesting output compared to manual harvesting. However, several weaknesses viz. frequent breakdown, heavy and high vibration make it less favourable to users. This article describes the development, laboratory and field tests of the new generation Cantas called Cantas Evo. Results showed that Cantas Evo passed all the required laboratory tests. The weight and vibration of Cantas Evo are respectively 31% and 95% lower than the previous version of Cantas. Cantas Evo is able to reach 7 m harvesting height. Field trial conducted in Kuala Muda Estate in Kedah, Malaysia revealed that the repair cost was reduced by 90%, a saving of about RM 3000 per machine per year. With the good quality and performance, Cantas Evo is effective for palms of up to 7 m harvesting height. As for the economics, based on the machine cost of RM 3800 per unit, the harvesting cost comes to about RM 21.24 t-1 fresh fruit bunches (FFB), with the cost-effectiveness of RM 1.18 t-1 FFB.