2020 vision for pomefruit orchards craig hornblow thursday 6

8/9/2019 2020 Vision for Pomefruit Orchards Craig Hornblow Thursday 6

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Craig Hornblow Agfirst

August 2009

2020 Vision for Pomefruit Orchards


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99 years to come full circleBack to Future

1910 Nelson establishing the industry’s first Majorcommercial expansion

Tasmanian expert travels to Nelson to help usvisualise the future


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Talk outline

The customer Focus on the valueYour Future Limiting Resource

An In depth look at labour Mechanisation examples to dateGrowing system


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Focus on the customer

Bad apple storyChanging consumption

Seek consistent fantastic experienceIt will be done with technology post harvest

It adds value for sureBut it costsWe need to deliver in the orchard to be in control of costs

Genetics


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Focus on fruit hat has apositive margin(colour,size, brix...)


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Less wastageConsistency of all aspects

genetics


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Future limiting resource

LandWater

( genetics )

Labour Capital


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What do Know about Labour?

• Availability of Labour?• Need to pay them more.• The need to lower costs• Permanent staff

• Asking them to manage more area . Expect more of them• Spending too much time on people and not looking at

apples

• Casual staff • Availability declining• much less skill


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0

2

4

6

810

12

14

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1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

$ / C E

Orchard costs per export CartonExcludes drawings/interest/tax/reinvestment

Total


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$0

$2,000

$4,000

$6,000

$8,000

$10,000

$12,000

$14,000

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Labour Costs$ per hectare


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0

123456789

10

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

$ / C E

Orchard Wage costs per export Carton

Wages Total


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Labour

50% of on orchard costshours per hectare on average

930 (NZ)1300 Chile

580 Italy

So what could we save?30% = $0.07/kg

Can we halt the increase?


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What should we focus on?

spraying mowingfert4%pruning

16%

thinnning16%

Picking48%

Tree Training6%

Other10%


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Labour profile per month

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June july august september october november december january february march april mayOther training spraying mowing fert pruning thinnning Picking


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Labour profile per month

050

100

150

200

250

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350

400

June july august september october november december january february march april may

Other training spraying mowing fert pruning thinnning Picking


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Adjusting Labour peaks

Maintain full employment for skilled permanentworkforceMinimise peak inflows of unskilled labour needingsupervision

Improved pruning and thinning strategiesSpread of varieties for harvest.


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Labour per month(2 late varieties)

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50

100

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June july august september october november december january february march april may

Other training spraying mowing fert pruning thinnning Picking

l


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An Example:Platforms and Picking machines


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• Back to the future: Need 2 people to shift a ladder


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Source new labour pools


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Appropriate space

•How far can you reach?

•A rotating bin needs 1.7mof space.


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We can make our best workersmore effecient


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We have reducedlabour hours .Increased capital

A daily rate for labouris very flexible.

A $75,000 pickingplatform is not.You needappropriate orchards.To maximise theinvestment.


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The Zucal Picking machine


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Zucal as an example

$120,000Well structured orchardshould pick 2500 bins perseasonCapital cost $6-8 per bin.


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Zucal as an example

Supporting tractor drivercan handle 5000 bins peryear.Supporting tractor driverfor ladder picking can onlydo 2600 bins.


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Zucal as an example

Fruit quality increasesnot confirmed butlikely to be no real

improvement(technology gap) Ability to grade majordefects is improved,hail sunburn etc.


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Zucal as an example

Work not as physicallydemanding.Major benefit is

pickings do not needto be strong or as fit.happy to work longer

hours over longerperiod.


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What’s wrong with this

picture?The cost of fixedcapital?You have to be an

excellent grower!


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Picking machine video


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Critical factors to the success ofplatforms

Canopy width no greater than 1.4 total. An arms reacheach side!Economies of scale (some options)Change in risk management strategy.

Increasing capital trees, land, frost protection, Hail wateretc...


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Risk


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Critical factors to the success ofplatforms

Canopy width no greater than 1.4 total. An arms reacheach side!Economies of scale (some options)Change in risk management strategy.

Increasing capital trees, land, frost protection, Hail wateretc...

Consistent production (excellent growers). Applyingall our skills

Currently just shifting the cost flexible to fixed capitalCapitalising Labour, R&M, interest


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Spraying technology

Improved thinning Ability to target specific area of the treeLower residueMore effect control


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New technology?

Targeting the tops


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Targeting the tops with a platform


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•$100, 000•Capitalising the job again•We need a new solution

•Genetics


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Forward to the past


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Our biggest cost ?

The time out of production

If genetics will pay a partCustomer falling love with apples and pearsMechanisationLess water, spraying

We will need to have changing orchardsWe need fast effective models

1910 no crop in the first 8 years1960 a crop in the first 5 years2010 200 tonnes in the first 5 years2020 120 tonnes by first 3 years


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72 tonnes in year 3>200 tonnes in 4years

A Function of

density, earlygrowth and variety(genetics )


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Canopy changes

What you have planted this year is your Orchard of2020.

Think Carefully


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Initial execution sets the limit

Too make the most of future technology Wewill need to meet the new age scientist ½ way.


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Solution to changing labour

• Simpler systems• More profit so we can pay our staff more

• Have the ability to apply new and emergingtechnology

• “Less wastage”, more production with positivegross margin.

C i l t hi t


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Can simpler systems achieve topproduction

• 2850 trees per ha• 18 branches per tree• 65 cm long• 33 km per hectare

• 25-38 km


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4 dimensional 3 dimensional 2 dimensional

Complex system

need high degree of skill (4 th D)

Wide range of size quality

Simpler

Improved quality

Apply existing technology

Simplest

Ability to be market specific

New and existing technologies


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We need to have simple Tree Forms?

C i l t hi t


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Can simpler systems achieve topproduction

• We need 35km per hectare of fruiting wood to produce 80 tonnes.• 1 fruit every 80mm

• 20-35 km • 25-38 km • 32 km • 41 km


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We need to look ahead

Identify the obstacles' before we hit them.


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Summary

New Focus on Value not productionTo create real solutions we need to meet ½ wayNarrow simple canopies

We need to be excellent horticulturalistsWe need to be extraordinary with our staff Not just willing to change but Excellent at adaptionand change.

2020 vision for pomefruit orchards craig hornblow thursday 6

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