Milling male kiwifruit flowers to remove the anthers is the first step in extracting pollen for artificial pollination. After milling and separating the anthers from the petals and other flower material, the anthers are placed onto trays for drying. Traditionally, three mills were connected by conveyor belts to move the flowers between them for each stage of the milling process, taking up valuable time and floor space.
Fraser Gear’s Mini Mill simplifies this process by recycling the flowers within a single mill. It processes the flowers inside one drum and deposits the pollen-filled anthers directly onto a conveyor belt. This streamlined process saves time and reduces the potential for waste that typically occurs when transferring flower material between multiple mills, as in traditional methods.
The Mini Mill operates on a batch system, with a timer that adjusts the processing time for each batch. After processing, the in-feed conveyor is used in reverse to efficiently remove any waste from the drum.
Ideal for smaller batches, the Mini Mill is perfect for production runs requiring less pollen. Its compact design makes it easily transportable and quick to install in any shed.
The Mini Mill can process approximately 80-90kg of male flowers per hour.