Economic analysis of cherry retention and the use of tarps in coffee harvesting Análisis económico de la retención de pases y empleo de lonas en la recolección de café

In a commercial context, the economic impact of cherry retention combined with the use of tarps in coffee harvesting was evaluated in El Tambo (Cauca), Chinchiná (Caldas), and Pueblo Bello (Cesar). In these locations, assisted harvesting allowed for the collection of 60.5%, 39.5%, and 84.8% of the annual coffee flow, respectively. This resulted in a labor productivity increase of 19.0%, 43.8%, and 20.7%, with surplus for the coffee grower compared to the cost incurred in conventional harvesting of 3.96%, 4.80%, and 6.71%, and a reduction of 10.7%, 12.7%, and 23.6% in the required daily wages per hectare per year, respectively. The picker at the point of isocrematistic surplus perceived additional income compared to the standard daily wage of 7.79%, 38.5%, 9.84%, and 9.55% for El Tambo, Chinchiná mid-harvest, Chinchiná main harvest, and Pueblo Bello, respectively. Load, harvestable fruit supply, and tarp technology were the variables that explained the economic effects of the technical change. By improving the planning of cherry retention, adapting plots for the use of tarps, and providing training to workers to increase coffee harvested with tarps by 75% per year and increase labor productivity by 45%, a surplus of 10% per hectare per year could be achieved for the coffee grower. This is feasible in the short and medium term, depending on the specific conditions of each region.