Gentle Harvesting: Machines in the Service of Onion Fields

In our country, the annual onion production has been continuously increasing over the past five years since 2020, reaching 58,200 tons in 2023; for 2024, the cultivated area is estimated at 1,755 hectares. With such volume, rapid harvesting, reduction of labor requirements, and preservation of onion quality all require appropriate mechanization. Well-chosen harvesting and harvesting machines can reduce crop damage and harvesting losses, while also helping to better utilize the narrow weather window.

Harvesting onions is a much more complex task than simply lifting the crop from the soil. The machines must maintain the proper working depth while separating the soil and plant residues, all while subjecting the onion bodies to the least possible stress. Manufacturers offer a range of technical solutions, from compact, tractor-operated pickers to self-propelled designs capable of handling multiple beds in a single pass. Our overview features nine onion harvesting machines or configurations that clearly illustrate the directions in which onion harvesting mechanization is developing. Adjustable-depth onion digger The Univerco Digger onion harvesting and cleaning machines perform the lifting, cleaning, and placement of onions for drying. The working depth is easily adjustable, allowing the rotating first lifting rod to extract onions without damage. The crop is then transferred onto a conveyor belt equipped with a shaking device, which removes a significant portion of the adhering ...