TRAINING AND TECHNIQUES FOR MANUAL HARVESTING OF TAHITI LIME PRODUCTION: Field Study

Abstract

The objective of this article was to study the impact of employee training and qualification in the manual harvesting of Tahiti lime. The methodology adopted is of a descriptive qualitative character, making up the studies that participated in search of further guidance on the perspective of the theme, having a bibliographic nature in books, websites, periodicals and monographs. The field study was  carried out in a rural property located in Jurupema, district of the city of Taquaritinga, in the interior of the State of São Paulo. Called St. John's.  The results demonstrated that specific training for manual harvesting of Tahiti lime can result in significant improvements in the quality of harvested fruits. Employees who have undergone this training have been able to properly identify the ideal ripeness point of the fruits, perform precise cuts during harvest, and apply proper post-harvest handling techniques, resulting in lemons that look better, taste, and last. In view of these considerations, it became evident that investing in training and qualification of employees for the manual harvesting of Tahiti lime is an essential strategy to ensure product quality, worker safety and operational efficiency in agricultural activities. Therefore, it is recommended that producers and managers in the agricultural sector prioritize the development of appropriate training programs, aiming at the continuous improvement of the skills and knowledge of their employees.