Consultancy

Orchard Performance

Our main focus for orchard consultancy is on increasing fruit value as this is the key driver of business profitability. We work alongside business owners and managers and use the latest thinking and technology to optimise crop and canopy management.

Property and Venture Appraisal

For those considering buying a property, we offer appraisal of a property’s strengths and weaknesses and apply our knowledge of climate, soils and industry to provide comprehensive analysis and “Due Diligence”.

We can prepare development budgets with sensitivity analysis to help clients assess the feasibility of different ventures, or land use options.

We also appraise the suitability of land for different uses with respect to local body zoning and land use criteria. We contribute expert evidence and peer review for hearings and court procedures.

Business Performance

Each enterprise is different. Personalised analysis of business performance helps answer strategic questions like:

Which parts of the business are performing well?
What further investment should be a priority?
What can be modified for improved performance?
What’s the likely impact of making changes?

We work with clients on a range of subjects from technical and financial performance to more personal issues like business management and succession.

Industry Analysis

Industry analysis is a service provided to national and local government, industry organisations and marketers. Using data often collected from surveys and group facilitation, we analyse and report on industry change and development.

Successful MPI reports include:

Viticulture benchmarking and monitoring
Successfully run the MPI viticulture model, and more recently MPI viticulture benchmarking, since 2007
Kiwifruit monitoring
Fruition as assisted with the data collection and financial analysis of the sector
Costs and risks of Conversion to Organic Kiwifruit and Apple Production
Fruition is also involved in Environmental Projects which include nutrient advice and support
Lake Rerewhakaaitu Fruition Consultant Bob Parker has worked with farmers around Lake Rerewhakaaitu to monitor and protect the lake from farm based activities

Other successful industry analysis reports include:

Identifying future needs for industry training in the NZ pipfruit industry
A survey completed by growers in Hawkes Bay, Waikato and South Island to create a model for fruit production and post-harvest looking at the numbers of employees that will require specific skill sets in 2022.
Summerfruit surveys
Surveys undertaken in 2011, 2014 and 2016 to gather industry information to gain an understanding of the position of the industry for marketing purposes
Fruit Fly Incursion.
This report looked at the effects on and costs to the New Zealand economy of a Fruit Fly incursion in any one of New Zealand’s three major fruit growing areas; Te Puke, Hawkes Bay and Nelson. The report was undertaken on behalf of Horticulture New Zealand. Read report here.
Beekeeping and crop pollination services.
This project, facilitated by Sandy Scarrow, examined the capacity of bee pollination services for horticultural production in New Zealand, identified risks and strategies to address them.
Rural Subdivision Report for Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
Sandy Scarrow and Ruth Underwood investigated the impact of rural subdivision on productivity.
Disposal of on farm and orchard plastic waste.
The initial policy development project led to the establishment of the AgRecovery Foundation and programme to collect used agrichemical containers and silage wrap.

Crop Loss Assessments

We provide independent assessment of crop loss from adverse climatic events such as hail and frost for insurers. We have completed this for apples, pears, grapes and kiwifruit for either insurers or growers. This includes a systematic process of counting and assessing to specific grade standards as defined by insurance policy standards to allow calculation of both physical and financial loss. This information is used by insurers to determine insurance payouts.