Italy: Mechanical thinning to cut costs

Mechanical thinning (top and stone fruit) is a good solution for those looking for a good compromise between low costs and high-quality. Rinieri presented its new machine during the latest edition of Romagna in Campo.

"This machine can be used for both top and stone fruit. The blades can cut branches up to 3-4 cm thick and the vertical arm can reach a height between 2.50 and 3.40 metres. There are also lower and upper splits," explained Fabio Buccioli.

The thinner is made up of "SCH" teeth that can cut through rather thick branches and an innovative frame that can adapt to various kinds of orchards. "It is a sturdy machine with excellent cutting quality suitable for large orchards."

"There are two kinds of people who use mechanical thinning - those who want to reduce costs to a minimum and do not intervene manually after using the machine and those who perform manual touch ups. In both cases, a lot of money will be saved."

The thinner is powered by a tractor hydraulic circuit, therefore it needs to have an oil tank with a suitable capacity. In some cases, a cutter can be added at the back.