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There recently was a huge controversy in Thailand about using monkey labor for coconut harvesting which resulted in many shops and even countries considering ba

There recently was a huge controversy in Thailand about using monkey labor for coconut harvesting which resulted in many shops and even countries considering banning thai coconut milk. [1] Since then I've been thinking: why is it so difficult to harvest coconuts? Surely a pair of long clipper or some sort of stick-like device ought to do it? I've popped a few coconuts myself of trees, it's not that complicated, right? > Coconut trees that are harvested for milk tend to be taller than 15m, so monkeys are often used instead. [1] So 15 meters is a lot of stick though, is it really not doable? Ladder and a stick? Surely there's a simple way to reach it? The only answer I manage to find is that coconut farmers generally can't afford _any expensive devices_ thats why they use monkeys or climb the trees or rig up these cheap dangerous devices. So reading the news about a bloody robot, the most expensive and complicated solution that can be applied to this scenario, just makes me laugh really. 1 - https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1948652/slave-monkey-scandal-forces-rethink-of-coconut-trade https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1948652/slave-m...

solarengineer 6y ago
Those who have coconut farms would afford and appreciate this device, though. It’ll help them harvest coconuts on time. Also, being a robot created in India, the price outs highly likely to be much lower priced and affordable compared to something invented and made in the US or Germany, for example.
a012 6y ago
Not all coconut trees are the same. And also harvesting coconuts are dangerous job. The established coconut farms (and backyard trees) are very tall, combining with too many heavy fruits, it's an incident waiting to happen both for harvester and people on the ground. So the safer way to harvest coconut is to climb to the top, tie a rope, saw the fruit branch and rappel. I can't say for Thai's method, though you can't just use a long stick and cut the fruits.
thaumasiotes 6y ago
> There recently was a huge controversy in Thailand about using monkey labor for coconut harvesting Well, I read the article. Why exactly is this supposed to be a problem? By all accounts, it's a good idea that works well.
- ponker 6y ago
  Many people have more empathy for animals than for humans. The idea of a monkey forced/encouraged to climb a tree for a coconut tugs at their heartstrings the way a person does not.
  - iratewizard 6y ago
    Done right, it's the opposite for me. Those monkeys can live a happy life in the same way as an ox that pulls a tiller.
    - tasogare 6y ago
      Ox, horses, nowadays service dogs, animals have been used for a long time as workers in the West. I find the double standard incredible here, especially since it’s impacting very negatively the economy of a developing country. Making a label and the related checks about monkey abuse would be enough to solve the problem without banning their use.
    - berkes 6y ago
      An ox is forcibly neutered, then forced, often with a torturing device (whips, nose rings etc), to toil in the burning sun for days. Untill his joints give up, and he is killed. I know I'm excaggerating. But it annoys me to no end that we came to think this is 'a happy life' in any remote sense. An ox, to me, is on the furthest part of the spectrum of forced labor. I found Harari's Book 'Sapien' very enlightening on the parts about the history of human abuse to animals. Oxen get a honorary mention.
      - iratewizard 6y ago
        How often do oxen work longer days than the farmer himself?
        berkes 6y ago
        When an Ox is a community asset and not owned by a single farmer. Which, I imagine, is or was quite often the case. I'm no historian nor a farming-expert, so I'm really just guessing.
pvaldes 6y ago
Is expensive if you need to buy it and have one or two palms, not so if you can just phone and hire a man with a robot a few times a year. Professional coconut harvesters would be either moved off the path, or could invest into buying a robot and be able to reduce their risk and work also with a broken arm or having a mild disease. It depends on robot price. If a coconut harvester is getting old, I can see how their digitally native sons or grandsons would want to buy one for easing his life. The biggest problem is that 15 minutes to mount the robot (and a similar time to disassemble it again, probably), is probably more time that an experienced harvested would need to climb and take the fruit down.

solarengineer 6y ago

Those who have coconut farms would afford and appreciate this device, though. It’ll help them harvest coconuts on time. Also, being a robot created in India, the price outs highly likely to be much lower priced and affordable compared to something invented and made in the US or Germany, for example.

a012 6y ago

Not all coconut trees are the same. And also harvesting coconuts are dangerous job. The established coconut farms (and backyard trees) are very tall, combining with too many heavy fruits, it's an incident waiting to happen both for harvester and people on the ground. So the safer way to harvest coconut is to climb to the top, tie a rope, saw the fruit branch and rappel. I can't say for Thai's method, though you can't just use a long stick and cut the fruits.

thaumasiotes 6y ago

> There recently was a huge controversy in Thailand about using monkey labor for coconut harvesting Well, I read the article. Why exactly is this supposed to be a problem? By all accounts, it's a good idea that works well.

ponker 6y ago
Many people have more empathy for animals than for humans. The idea of a monkey forced/encouraged to climb a tree for a coconut tugs at their heartstrings the way a person does not.
- iratewizard 6y ago
  Done right, it's the opposite for me. Those monkeys can live a happy life in the same way as an ox that pulls a tiller.
  - tasogare 6y ago
    Ox, horses, nowadays service dogs, animals have been used for a long time as workers in the West. I find the double standard incredible here, especially since it’s impacting very negatively the economy of a developing country. Making a label and the related checks about monkey abuse would be enough to solve the problem without banning their use.
  - berkes 6y ago
    An ox is forcibly neutered, then forced, often with a torturing device (whips, nose rings etc), to toil in the burning sun for days. Untill his joints give up, and he is killed. I know I'm excaggerating. But it annoys me to no end that we came to think this is 'a happy life' in any remote sense. An ox, to me, is on the furthest part of the spectrum of forced labor. I found Harari's Book 'Sapien' very enlightening on the parts about the history of human abuse to animals. Oxen get a honorary mention.
    - iratewizard 6y ago
      How often do oxen work longer days than the farmer himself?
      - berkes 6y ago
        When an Ox is a community asset and not owned by a single farmer. Which, I imagine, is or was quite often the case. I'm no historian nor a farming-expert, so I'm really just guessing.

pvaldes 6y ago

Is expensive if you need to buy it and have one or two palms, not so if you can just phone and hire a man with a robot a few times a year. Professional coconut harvesters would be either moved off the path, or could invest into buying a robot and be able to reduce their risk and work also with a broken arm or having a mild disease. It depends on robot price. If a coconut harvester is getting old, I can see how their digitally native sons or grandsons would want to buy one for easing his life. The biggest problem is that 15 minutes to mount the robot (and a similar time to disassemble it again, probably), is probably more time that an experienced harvested would need to climb and take the fruit down.