Fresh tomato harvest is traditionally made without harvesting aids. The main goal of this research was to evaluate performance parameters of fresh tomato harvesting aid equipment and compare it to traditional harvest, in the state of São Paulo. Therefore, an equipment was developed and the harvest process was evaluated in four different ways: traditional system (harvest system used in Santa Luzia farm, Brotas, SP, Brazil), picker walking with a harvesting aid equipment, picker seated in a harvesting aid equipment and a composition of both systems: two pickers seated and one picker walking in two different velocities ranges. The different systems using harvesting aid showed an average yield by picker more efficient than reference. Harvest system using three pickers showed an increase of 290% on yield average by picker, on the range of 0.5-1.0 fruit per plant, followed by the systems with a walking picker, that increased productivity in 41%, and picker seated harvester, that showed an increase of 35%. These results demonstrate the importance of using a harvesting aid equipment.
Lycopersicum esculentum; harvester; productivity
