Plockavstånd

Plockavstånd is a term used in Swedish horticulture and agriculture to describe the distance or spacing considered when harvesting crops by hand. It refers to the reach and accessibility required for picking fruit or flowers without causing damage to the produce, the plant, or neighboring fruits. The concept combines ergonomics, crop architecture and labor productivity, and is used in planning harvests, pruning, and canopy management.

The exact meaning of plockavstånd varies by crop and production system. For soft fruits such as strawberries and raspberries, it relates to fruit size, detachment force, and how easily fruit can be picked without bruising the stem. For tree fruits or clusters in greenhouses, it can concern the height and reach needed for harvesters, as well as the spacing of fruits or clusters to allow single-pass picking. In practice, plockavstånd helps determine how the canopy should be trained and pruned to keep harvest zones accessible and to minimize handling damage.

In application, managers use plockavstånd to balance harvest efficiency with fruit quality and labor costs. Factors influencing it include harvest method (hand vs. mechanical), worker safety and ergonomics, terrain, and equipment used. Measurements may be expressed as a maximum reach distance or as recommended spacing between fruits within a cluster or along a stem to enable effective picking in a given harvest cycle.

See also related concepts in cultivation planning, pruning strategies, and harvest logistics.