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.
Winter is a busy period in kiwifruit orchards. Some of the work has flexible timing but there are a lot of tasks to complete before the spring growth starts. In this article, I’ll talk about the winter tasks, fitting them together and a few reminders of what is important. The late harvest in 2016 may squeeze winter activities and the weather is another factor altogether!
This four year SFF funded trial was at Nautilus Estate. This trial looked at the effect on yield and quality in grape vines when less than optimal irrigation was applied. This showed irrigation at levels below general practice for reduced deficit irrigation could still produce a harvestable crop but quality and yield would be compromised,
Using new tools to aid crop load decision making and chemical thinning
Increased mechanisation on orchards is being used to reduce labour costs and lift productivity. Some innovative companies are developing self driving systems, fruit robots, automated yield estimations and sensor technology for orchard sprayers.
This report, written in 2007, looked at a 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.
The Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme is promoted as a partnership programme with a clear “win:win” for all those involved. Vakameasina provides english language literacy, numeracy, financial, digital literacy and life skills funded by the New Zealand Aid programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Like many areas in our modern society, professional advisors are now more and more being held accountable and are expected to prove competency and meet minimum professional standards.
Plant and Food’s Future Orchard Production System (FOPS) research programme is working on a step change in new orchard design.