Peak Harvesting Season Research Articles

Challenges and Future Scope in Onion and Other Root Crop De-Topping Machines and Its Performance: A Review

Onion is one of the important vegetable and spice commodity crop which has yearlong demand but seasonal in production. Onion de-topping (i.e., separation of matured leaves from bulbs) is the important post-harvest operation in onion production which conducted after curing process of onion bulbs. In India onion de-topping done mostly manually in farms using sickle, khurpi and knife. Manually onion de-topping of onion bulbs is time consuming and labour-intensive operation. Availability of labours are difficult in peak harvesting season of onion; therefore, farmers may incur financial and crop loss. Mechanical onion de-topping done using onion harvesters during digging operation of onion bulbs. There are many onion de-topping machines are available for onion bulbs with different mechanism. The different onion de-topping machine were studied in terms of their mechanism, construction, working principles, performance and efficiency. The comparison of performance of the machines with manual onion de-topping was studied over the cutting capacity, efficiency, damage percentage, saving of labour cost and time. This paper reviews such onion de-topping harvesters and de-topping machines. It highlights the mechanism used for de-topping in these machines with their performance in terms of de-topping capacity and de-topping efficiency. It also tries to highlight the necessity of requirement of de-topping machines and current status of adoption of such machines by farmers in India. It was observed that number of onion de-topping machines are available though it is difficult to adopt by the farmers specially medium and low land holding farmers because of cost concern. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the machine which should be low cost, efficient and labour saving for such farmers. Using such an onion de-topping machines will help to save their labour cost, operational time, drudgery of labour and increase efficiency of labour. Also adopting such technologies can encourage the farmers to increase the production of such crop.

The quality of chili (Capsicum annum L.) during storage after ozone water treatment

Abstract Chili is one of the main agricultural commodities. During the peak harvest season, there is an increase in chili production, so it is necessary to apply post-harvest handling technology to maintain the quality of chili, one of which is through the application of ozone technology. The object of this study is to evaluate the quality of chili (Capsicum annum L.) during storage after ozone water treatment. The material used in this study was curly chilies; the treatments used 2 types of storage temperatures (28 °C and 3 °C) and 2 types of washing processes (soaking and spraying). Observations were made on days 0, 7, and 14. Parameters observed included weight loss, moisture content, total bacteria, and total yeast. The results showed that the total bacteria value on day 7 decreased to 1 x 105 CFU/g. The total yeast of chilies with ozone treatment showed a significant reduction in total yeast compared to the control treatment. The weight loss of control chilies and washed chilies stored at room temperature after being stored for 14 days was in the range of 29.64% to 58.94%. The highest moisture content was obtained by spray treatment and stored at 3 °C.

Analysis of Rural Producers' Performance Indicators: a Case Study of Cooperative Members of the Southern Bahia Cocoa Indication of Origin

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate performance indicators for cocoa in the southern region of Bahia for the period 2021-2023. Theoretical Framework: Through a literature review, this study aims to understand the concepts and connections between Geographical Indication and its impacts on socio-economic development as a basis for analyzing qualitative data collected from the Cacau Sul da Bahia Association and the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service to evaluate and compare the impacts over time. Method: An applied and exploratory approach was used, using secondary data, which was analyzed according to Bardin's (1997) proposal. Results and Discussion: The research shows the seasonality of cocoa production in the south of Bahia, with production peaks in July, the peak harvest season. Production stability is suggested for the 2021-2023 period. The geographical distribution of producers showed a concentration of production in a few municipalities, as well as the fact that only five maintained regularities over the three years. Research Implications: The research implies the need for management and planning strategies to ensure the sustainability of the sector and promote greater participation by municipalities in cocoa production in the region. Originality/Value: This study proposes a comprehensive assessment of the socio-economic and environmental impacts in a region with a product protected by Geographical Indication.

Assessment of Variability and Seasonal Patterns in Lemon Arrivals and Prices across India

The current study examined the variability and seasonal patterns in lemon arrivals and prices across the significant lemon-producing states in India from 2013 to 2022. Six important markets (Tenali, Surat, Pune, Udipi, Attabira, and Lashkar) in the country, one from each of the selected states, were chosen based on their annual market arrivals of lemons. The variability measured through the Cuddy-Della-Valle index showed similar price behaviour in all the selected markets, with the highest price variability during the peak season. The price behaviour of lemons showed a significant positive trend in all selected markets. Seasonal indices for market arrivals were highest during the peak harvesting season of lemons, with the Tenali market demonstrating the highest seasonal variation among all the selected markets. The prices were high during the off period of arrivals.

Pengaruh Penambahan Dekstrin dan Kulit Buah Naga Merah terhadap Karakteristik Fisiko Kimia dan Organoleptik Serbuk Mangga Gadung Klonal 21

Mango Gadung Clonal 21 (Mangifera indica L.) is the result of crossbreeding between Gadung Mango and Arumanis, acknowledged as a native fruit of Pasuruan Regency. However, the sales of this fruit decline during the peak harvest season, causing difficulties for farmers in processing ripe fruit. Therefore, technology is needed to enhance shelf life and create innovative products using Mango Gadung Clonal 21 (Mangifera indica L.) as the base ingredient, with the addition of antioxidants from red dragon fruit peel. The aim of this research is to assess the physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics and identify the best combination of adding dextrin and red dragon fruit peel to Mango Gadung Clonal 21 (Mangifera indica L.) powder. This study employed a randomized block design with two main factors: the addition of red dragon fruit peel extract (M) with 2 levels (15 grams and 20 grams) and the addition of dextrin (D) with 3 levels (15 grams, 20 grams, and 25 grams). The study was repeated three times, resulting in a total of 18 treatments. Analysis encompassed antioxidant activity, water content, solubility, as well as organoleptic evaluations of color, aroma, taste, and texture. The best results were observed in the M1D3 treatment (15 grams of red dragon fruit peel and 25 grams of dextrin), with an antioxidant activity of 58.96 mg/ml, water content of 9.15%, solubility of 79.31%, color rating of 3.56 (liked), taste rating of 3.8 (liked), aroma rating of 3.04 (somewhat liked), and texture rating of 3.76 (liked). Keywords: Antioxidant, Clonal 21 gadung mango, Dextrin, Red dragon fruit skin

Comparison of asparagus marketing in Japan and six European countries during the peak harvest season

Comparison of asparagus marketing in Japan and six European countries during the peak harvest season

Constraints faced under open and protected cultivation of vegetables- A case studyof tomatoes and capsicum in Karnataka

The present study aimed to analyze the constraints faced by farmers in the production and marketing oftomatoes and capsicum under open and protected cultivation practices in Karnataka. The study was conducted in majortwo vegetable producing districts of Karnataka. Kolar from South Karnataka and Belagavi from North Karnataka were thetwo districts selected for the study. Rank Based Quotient (RBQ) was adopted for the analysis. The results indicated thatheavy incidence of pests and diseases (RBQ value 69.44) and severe incidence of blossom end rot due to calcium deficiency(RBQ value 85.19) were the major production constraints under open and protected cultivation practices, respectively.Lack of quality planting material and requirement of intensive management practices were the other serious productionproblems under open field cultivation of tomatoes. While, incidence of fruit borer and requirement of high cost forestablishment were the production problems faced by the farmers under protected cultivation of tomatoes. Heavy drop ofimmature fruits under open cultivation and high cost of establishment under protected cultivation were the other seriousproblems faced by farmers in production of capsicum. Lower market price during peak harvesting season and high fluctuationin prices for capsicum were the serious marketing problems. Use of disease-free quality planting material, self-raising ofseedlings, utilization of calcium fertilizers and adoption of cost-effective management practices and proper portfolio managementwere the measures suggested to the farmers to overcome these problems. These findings will be helpful to the policy makersand farmers for developing policy framework and relevant guidance for promoting vegetable production in the state.

DEVELOPMENT OF A PLANTAIN DRYER USING CHARCOAL AND SAWDUST BRIQUETTE AS FUELS

A biomass fired dryer using charcoal and sawdust briquettes as fuels is designed and produced by this study, to improve plantain shelf life, make it available all the year round, minimize postharvest losses, regulate unattractive low commodity pricing during peak harvest season, enhance productivity and add value to commodity. It consists of a heating chamber with integrated ash tray, drying chamber and two drying trays, spaced 130 mm apart. Warm air circulates in the drying chamber by natural draught, while the air for fuel combustion is by forced convection. A batch size of (2 and 4 kg) of plantain chips were dried at temperatures of 80 and, 100°C in three replicating experiments using 0.150 kg of the selected fuels independently. At an ambient temperature of 30.4°C and relative humidity (RH) of 83.6% charcoal and sawdust briquette fuels attained a mean temperature () of (140 and 134), with a burnout time () of (240.6 and 237.7) respectively, under no load. The average drying time () for sliced plantain chips was 120 minutes for 2 kg at 80 and 150 min for 4 kg at 100°C respectively for both fuels, as against open air sun drying, that could take days to accomplish due to unpredictable weather conditions. An average drying rate () of 0.0059 kg/min ( 0.9338) and 0.2082 kg/min ( 0.909) was achieved on the drier with charcoal (Ch) as fuel, while; 0.0058 kg/min ( 0.9322) and 0.2111 kg/min ( 0.9245) was obtained with sawdust briquette (Cs) as fuel at 80 and 100 drying temperatures respectively. The moisture content (MC) of the chips also reduced from 61% to (11.8 MC 11.6%) and (7 MC 6%) respectively, at 80°C and 100°C drying temperatures for both fuels. The proximate analysis of the dried chips indicates a decrease in its protein content with corresponding increase in crude fiber and ash content across temperatures, yet without total loss of nutrients. The dryer successfully utilized the selected fuels for plantain drying and could serve as an effective tool in drying other farm produce.

Development and evaluation of an innovative grain cart with a pneumatic conveyor

In line with the requirements of the Egyptian government to find a solution for wheat transportation during the peak harvesting season, an innovative design for a grain cart with a capacity of 8 tons supplemented with a grain hopper, a lifting double-action pneumatic conveyor, and a built-in digital scale was tested and evaluated to facilitate the transport of wheat crops from farmers' fields to storage sites. The cart was manufactured in the workshop of a local industrial company. It was tested under varying operational conditions in different wheat production areas in terms of working performance, efficiency of the grain loading and unloading mechanism, precision of the grain weighing mechanism, and cost/ton. The cart will enable wheat farmers and traders to transport and deliver their crops easily to storage sites with minimal losses and maximum working efficiency. It will also increase farmers’ profit because transportation cost by using this grain cart is less than that of the current conventional method. Moreover, the developed cart can secure wheat supply in government storage sites without any interruption during the peak wheat harvesting season.

Diversity of fishing gears and crafts used for harvesting the Asian seabass, Lates calcarifer along the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh coast

Though Asian Seabass, which is locally known as "Koral"/"Vetki," is a vital species in terms of its popularity and price, little is known about the location of breeding and nursery ground, peak breeding season, peak harvesting season, population dynamics, harvesting operation (gears and crafts used for harvesting) of this species in Bangladesh. An investigation was carried out to enlist the group of crafts and gears that are being operated on the Bay of Bengal coast by the fishermen for Asian seabass harvesting. The survey was based on interviews with the local fishermen and secondary data collected from the regional fisheries offices. The study revealed a total of 10 distinguishing fishing gears, including seven nets and two types of hook and lines were used for harvesting this fish. Some are selective for harvesting Seabass, but most of them are involved in multi-species exploitation. Four types of motorized and two types of non-motorized traditional boats are being used for harvesting the seabass in Bangladesh. The seabass fishery extends almost throughout the year at different life stages. The Koral net, Mela Barshi (Single Hook and line), and Push net were found to be effective for catching adult, pre-adult, and juvenile Asian seabasses, respectively. The Sampan boat and Mela barshi were reported for the first time as fishing boats and fishing gear in Bangladesh.

Effects of Drying Methods and Onion Bulb Variety on Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Onion Powder

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a rich source of constituents that are beneficial to human health. However, the short shelf life of these vegetables are a major cause of postharvest losses during peak harvesting season. Drying is one of the most convenient technologies for shelf stable food products production. This study is aimed at assessing the effects of three drying methods (industrial oven, electric dryer and sun drying) on physicochemical (moisture content, ash content, pH, titratable acidity, total polyphenol contents) and functional properties (water solubility and particle sizes) of onion powders of two onion varieties (white and violet of galmi). From the results obtained, physicochemical and functional components are affected significantly (P<0.05) by drying process but not titratable acidity (to the order of 36 mEq/100g DM). In addition, the moisture content of onion powders were below 13.66±0.115, 14.73±0.115, 14.60±0.305 g/100g WM for industrial oven, electric dryer and sun drying respectively with pH between 3.29 and 5.16. In addition, these powders showed a small particle size (under 400 μm) and high solubility as 93.33±2.3, 72±0.5, 62.66±2.3 g/100 g DM for Electric dryer (ED), Industrial oven (IO) and Sun drying (SD) respectively. Furthermore, polyphenol content was almost different in all the different drying process with values between 721.32 to 962.26 mg GAE/100g DM. Moreover, all properties were varied significantly (P<0.05) between white and violet of galmi powders. The preferred drying method and onion variety were industrial oven and violet of galmi. Finally, these results could be a valorization way to promote an industrialization of onion powders.

An investigation on performance of onion price and market arrivalsin major Indian markets

Onion is a significant and essential commodity used in all the Indian delicacies either in raw form or dehydrated form to add flavour and taste to cuisine. India is the 2nd largest producer of onion next to china and it is also 2nd highest yielded vegetable in India. Though it shares a considerable amount of area and production among all the vegetables along with high marketable surplus, it fails to approve steady price throughout the year. Instability in market arrival contributing to the price fluctuations is mainly caused by substantial dependence on meteorological conditions and perishable nature of the crop. Often this high price fluctuation and variation in price causes suffering to the farmers by affecting their income level. It impacts the consumers adversely and also causes inefficiency in the functioning of the market. Realising the importance of the situation, through this paper it has been investigated. The trends in market arrival were positive in three markets except Azadpur. Trend in nominal price is found positive and for real price it was found negative in all the markets. Seasonal index showed that the arrival in different markets remained on the higher side during the peak harvesting season of the particular region and it collides with the low seasonal price index. Variability index revealed the existence of high variability for both of price and arrivals of onion. However, because of presence of significant seasonality in prices there is scope for increasing the income of farmers by concentrating on marketing during lean periods.

Labor Shortages in the Florida Strawberry Industry

The Florida strawberry industry has been plagued by severe labor shortages. This paper investigates growers’ labor demand and labor shortages based on a survey conducted in 2016. We found that labor shortages increase over the season, ranging from a shortage of 14 workers per 100 acres in September to 35 workers per 100 acres in March, the peak harvesting season.

Improving cocoa harvest can mitigate for crop damage by wildlife in a forest-agriculture matrix

Shade-grown cocoa has been suggested as a more carbon and biodiversity friendly land use around protected forests compared with slash-and-burn farmland, and may be particularly suitable for achieving livelihood, biodiversity and forest protection goals of REDD+ projects. However, loss of cocoa to wildlife perceived to come from forest protected areas can result in lower profits for local people, reduced livelihood benefits from development projects and negative perceptions of conservation leading to reduced conservation impacts. We collected and analysed data on cocoa pod numbers and damage by animals over 2 months of the cocoa growing season, coinciding with peak harvesting season, from 39 plots at 3 forest edge communities around Gola Rainforest National Park, Sierra Leone. We estimate that 20% of pods across the cocoa plantations studied were damaged by wildlife, though there was high spatial variation. Of damaged pods where the animal group responsible could be identified, 87.2% of the damage was by monkeys, 11.1% by rats or squirrels and 1.7% by chimpanzees. Binomial mixed modelling of the proportion of pods damaged by wildlife indicated that this was higher closer to settlements and where pod density was lower. This indicates that the species causing the most damage in this system are disturbance-tolerant generalists which are not dependent on the protected forest, that mitigation measures should be concentrated where damage is highest, particularly close to settlements, and that increasing cocoa yield in these communities could offset damage by wildlife and therefore still be a viable option for, for example, REDD+ projects, even where crop raiding is common.

Effect of drying methods on the retention of bioactive compounds in African eggplant.

African eggplants (Solanum aethiopicum L.) are a rich source of bioactive compounds and functional constituents that are beneficial to human health. However, the short shelf life of these vegetables can be a major cause of postharvest losses especially during peak harvesting season. Drying is one of the most convenient technologies for the production of shelf stable food products. However, drying can lead to considerable loss of the available bioactive compounds due to thermal degradation depending on the drying method and temperature conditions. This study investigated the effect of four drying methods (solar, oven, vacuum, and freeze) on the retention of total phenolics, beta‐carotene, antioxidant capacity, and lycopene in five African eggplant (S. aethiopicum) accessions (sangawili, manyire green, S00047A, AB2, and aubergine blanche). Samples were dried up to ~10% moisture content. The fresh and dried samples were analyzed for total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, beta‐carotene content, and the lycopene content. In the fresh state, beta‐carotene, total phenolic content, and free radical scavenging activity ranged between 14.75 ± 0.50 and 29.50 ± 0.77 mg/100 g db, 751.21 ± 1.73 and 1,363.95 ± 2.56 mg/100 g GAE db, and 99.58 and 325.61 mg/ml db IC 50 value, respectively. The accession S00047 showed highest total phenolic content and lowest IC 50 value in the fresh samples. The results also showed that total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and beta‐carotene contents were significantly (p < .05) affected by drying method and drying temperature with freeze‐drying presenting the highest retention. Overall, 36.26%s–95.05% (total phenolics) and 31.44%–99.27% (beta‐carotene) were retained during freeze‐drying. Lycopene was only detected in the dried samples of the accession manyire green but absent in all the fresh samples of all the accessions. This study demonstrates that freeze‐drying was the most effective in retaining the highest bioactive compounds in African eggplants.

Quantifying risk to agriculture from volcanic ashfall: a case study from the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

Quantitatively assessing long-term volcanic risk can be challenging due to the many variables associated with volcanic hazard and vulnerability. This study presents a structured first-order approach for considering variables in hazard and vulnerability analyses, such as eruption style and cyclic fragility, in order to quantitatively estimate risk. Probabilistic volcanic hazard data derived from advection–diffusion–sedimentation tephra fall model TEPHRA2 and probabilistic volcanic hazard analysis tool BET_VH (Bayesian Event Tree for Volcanic Hazards) are combined with fragility functions and seasonal vulnerability coefficients for agricultural production to calculate volcanic risk indices which represent the likelihood of damage or loss to farm production over a given time frame. The resulting dataset allows for approximations of quantitative risk over a continuous range of ash thickness thresholds, at multiple levels of uncertainty, and in the context of fluctuating hazard and vulnerability environments (e.g., seasonal wind patterns and crop phases). We illustrate this approach through a case study which evaluates the risk of incurring 90% damage to agricultural production at dairy and fruit farms in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand (BoP) due to ashfall from a Plinian eruption phase at the large local caldera volcano, the Okataina Volcanic Centre (OVC). Consideration of seasonal wind profiles, seasonal fluctuations in fruit and dairy farm vulnerability, multiple possible OVC eruption styles, different possible OVC vent locations, and a continuous distribution of ash thickness and damage thresholds enables a multi-dimensional analysis that aims to reflect the natural complexity and interdependencies associated with volcanic risk. A risk uncertainty matrix is introduced as a conceptual scheme to help guide evaluation and communication of the results of such quantitative risk analyses by showing how different types of uncertainty can yield “maximum”, “average”, or “minimum” estimates of risk. Results of this case study indicate that BoP fruit farms are at higher risk of experiencing damage and production loss from OVC ashfall than dairy farms, and farms to the east of the OVC are typically at higher risk than farms to the north of the OVC. Forecasts based on the annual maximum estimate of risk for fruit farms show a regional average of 2.3% probability (greater than 1 in 50 likelihood) of experiencing 90% damage from a basaltic or rhyolitic Plinian eruption from anywhere within the OVC over a period of 100 years. Seasonal-level analyses revealed that the risk of experiencing losses due to OVC ashfall at fruit farms is cyclic and fluctuates with time of year and harvest season, with the highest risk experienced during peak harvest season (15 October–14 April) when crop vulnerability is high and westerly winds dominate in the BoP.

Exploring the Nutritional Quality Improvement in Cereal Bars Incorporated with Pulp of Guava Cultivars

Fruits play an important role in human diet because they are dynamic bases of minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber. They are rich sources of iron, phosphorous, calcium, and magnesium and contribute 90% of dietary vitamin C. Yellow and green fruits are rich in vitamin A (beta carotene) folic acid, niacin and thiamine which are vital for normal functioning of the human body. Due to the high perishability, Guava fruit ripen quickly in a few days after harvesting at room temperature. Due to its delicate nature it cannot be stored for a longer period of time. The surplus quantity of the fruit remains unsold and goes to waste during peak harvest season. Extension in post-harvest shelf life and preservation of guava fruit is the pre-requisite for the economical and efficient utilization of this important fruit commodity in Pakistan. Guava pulp is considered as a rich source of fiber, ash, polyphenols, and sugars. This study was aimed to develop cereal based bars using different varieties of guava pulp from two cultivars (Gola and Surahi) (GP) at different concentrations (10% and 15%). Prepared bars were subjected to the proximate analysis. The results demonstrated high moisture, protein and lower level of fat contents in the bars. Bars with guava pulp of Gola cultivar (15%) showed the high level of moisture (6.34 ± 0.03 to 6.47 ± 0.02), protein (4.69 ± 0.02 to 4.61 ± 0.01), fiber (3.85 ± 0.05 to 3.84 ± 0.06) and fat (3.42 ± 0.05 to 3.06 ± 0.03) contents. Then the bars were evaluated for sensory acceptance by trained personal. The sensory analysis showed satisfactory acceptance of the bars containing 10% guava pulp (GP) regarding the aroma, flavor, and textural attributes. The bars containing 15% GP received satisfactory acceptance regarding to aroma only but their texture was not too good. The bars were stored for 14 days and the effect of storage were studied on the bars.

Study on development of value added products from oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida)

Oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus florida ) is highly perishable poses serious marketing problems in the peak seasonal period as well as commercial production resulting in gluts and distress sales. With a view to ameliorate the problem, processing of mushroom to develop some novel value-added products was undertaken from the fresh oyster mushrooms. Very good quality of oyster mushroom preserves ( murraba ) was successfully prepared. Besides, the pickle preparation from the fresh mushroom through the traditional technique, success was achieved in making products like mushroom ketch-up, mushroom candy and mushroom chips. All the value added products were found to be organeptically acceptable for their colour, appearance, flavour, taste, texture and overall acceptability on the 9 point Hedonic scale by a panel of ten judges. The evaluation of the products was done every month for the period of six months for the above said quality characters. Value added product named mushroom preserve was rated with the highest sensory score followed by mushroom chips. Preparation of these products will not only reduces losses but will also enhance the income by value- addition and better marketing of this horticulture crop in the peak period of harvesting, glut in the market can be checked by adopting appropriate post-harvest technology to process surplus mushroom into novel value-added products. Mushroom protein is intermediate in quality between vegetable and animal proteins and the supplementary value of mushroom protein in vegetarian diet is of considerable significance. Mushrooms can be used as a supplementary food item to the growing population of the developing countries where the population mainly depends on cereal based foods. Due to high quality nutrients and their medical and therapeutic properties, mushrooms have become popular worldwide. During peak harvest season, market gets saturated quickly and growers resort to distress sale. Consequently, unsold mushrooms become a total loss. Hence, methods need to develop for the production of processed products from mushrooms.

PROCESSED PRODUCTS FROM LITCHI AND LONGAN AND THEIR PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY IN CHINA

Litchi and longan are important commercial fruits of southern China. Fresh litchi and longan have a very short shelf life and market price at peak harvesting season decreases markedly due to excessive supply. Processing of litchi and longan recently gained increasing importance in China. According to the principles of food preservation, the processing technology of litchi and longan is divided into different methods, i.e., drying, canning, juice, fermentation, and frozen. The current status of some selected processed products such as dried litchi and longan, canned litchi, litchi juice, litchi wine and frozen litchi and their practical methods of processing are discussed in this paper.

Applying stock indicators for assessment of a recreational surf clam (Donax deltoides) fishery in Victoria, Australia

The aim of this study was to apply indicators for monitoring the impacts of harvest in a recreational surf clam fishery. We investigated trends in abundance, biomass and size structure and proportion of sexual maturity for the pipi (Donax deltoides) in Venus Bay, Australia. The surf clam stock was sampled during the peak harvesting season in the Australian summer (November to February) at four sites exposed to varying degrees of recreational harvest. Sampling was based on three transects at each site; with 0.027 m3 (0.3 m × 0.3 m × 0.3 m) quadrats stratified within transects by tidal position. Restricted maximum likelihood mixed model analyses were used to examine fixed effect combinations after including a priori random effect for transect within site. Results demonstrated that relative abundance varied significantly (P = 0.0090) among sampling months but not among sites. Relative abundance declined across the peak summer harvest season. The proportion of maturity varied significantly (P = 0.00026) among sites whereas relative biomass varied significantly (P = 0.0043) among months by sites. Relative biomass and the proportion of maturity were considerably higher at the site exposed to minimal harvest compared to other sites. This study demonstrates that a suite of indictors including biomass, size–frequency and proportion of maturity are likely to provide a more accurate assessment of stock status in recreationally fished surf clam populations, than relative abundance. This highlights the need to develop methods to estimate relative biomass in surf clam populations that are not exploited commercially.