The IFTA (International Fruit Tree Association) has recently completed a successful NZ Conference and Tour. A theme of the tour was the evolution of growing systems in a world where labour is becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. In this article, some of the considerations around orchard design, efficiency and suitability for mechanization are discussed.
At this stage of the season it is close to kiwifruit harvest time but there’s still things we don’t know about how the rest of the season will pan out and the crop results! Doing the basics well – including timeliness – is still a key to orchard performance.
The National Horticultural Field Day at the Hawkes Bay Showgrounds was a roaring success with many local businesses and innovators on display, lively competitions and business talks to attend. Many local high schools participated in the Education Hub which involved a range of fun and learning activities organised by PipfruitNZ and designed to fuel interest in Horticulture as a career option.
Gross margin benchmarking was completed, in collaboration with the Ministry for Primary Industries and New Zealand Wine, for Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa , Marlborough and Central Otago. The gross margin calculates the revenue minus direct expenses for growing, harvesting and marketing the crop.
Kiwifruit winter pruning is the start of the seasonal growing cycle and sets your crop potential for the next harvest.
It has been 10 years since the Recognised Seasonal Employees (RSE) scheme was introduced and workers have been coming to the Bay of Plenty to prune, pick and pack kiwifruit over that time. While it is easy to see the benefits the industry receives from being able to use RSE workers, it is also timely to celebrate the significant contribution they make the the well being of our wider communities
We are all aware of the huge growth occurring in the horticultural sector nationally. Alongside that growth is a huge demand for unskilled and skilled workers to take on the varied roles in the sector. With this in mind, this article focuses on a group of individuals who have chosen to forsake their Tuesday evenings to attend Lincoln University Diploma in Horticulture tutorials provided by Fruition Horticulture in Tauranga and Nelson.
“Hawke’s Bay apples are in hot demand across the globe, the industry is innovative, forward thinking and going places – so can young Kiwis”. Pipfruit New Zealand is encouraging more young people to consider a career in the industry says Capability development manager Erin Simpson.
The 2016 harvest produced a record yield for the Marlborough model at an average of 15.1 tonnes per hectare. Sauvignon Blanc yielded an average of 16.5 tonnes per hectare, a 41 percent increase compared with 2015. Pinot Noir produced its highest yield to date at 8.6 tonnes per hectare, up 62 percent compared with 2015.
Gross margin benchmarking was completed, in collaboration with the Ministry for Primary Industries and New Zealand Wine, for Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa and Marlborough. The gross margin calculates the revenue minus direct expenses for growing, harvesting and marketing the crop.
What apple variety mix should we grow to be successful in a changing world? This article discusses some of the strategic factors involved in choosing what we produce and offer to our customers.
The 4th of April this year sees the introduction of new Health and Safety legislation which has some significant implications for those owning, managing and working within the horticultural sector. In this article we discuss some of those changes and then cover some practical things that can be done to manage these.