Strategic planning

April 2013 | Prepared by Ross Wilson, AgFirst | Future Orchards® Australian Fruitgrower article

Ross Wilson of AgFirst uses this Future Orchards® article to provide growers with a structured checklist for strategic planning. Written as harvest is finishing, the article recommends using the quieter May–June period to review whether the orchard business is well placed for the future and to identify the investments and management changes that should be prioritised.

Climate strategy is one of the first areas considered. Australian orchards can face frost, hail, drought and heat stress, and the article asks growers to identify which risks are currently too high to be confident of producing a consistent high-quality crop. Water security, irrigation capacity and the extent of hail netting are examples of issues that may require long-term capital planning rather than seasonal responses.

Variety mix is described as a critical strategic decision because consumer preferences, market conditions and competing strains continue to change. Growers are encouraged to ask whether existing varieties will remain profitable in the medium to long term and whether new options are suited to the orchard’s microclimate and capable of delivering premium returns. The article specifically raises the competitive pressure that higher-colour strains can place on standard Cripps Pink and Fuji blocks.

Planting system is another long-term choice. Future Orchards® had promoted modern intensive systems, but Ross stresses that growers should not simply copy neighbouring orchards. Systems need to fit the variety, site and business objectives. For pears, the system may need to combine precocity, high-quality early production and reduced fruit marking, while more advanced businesses may consider two-dimensional canopies with future mechanisation and robotics in mind.

The article also emphasises standardisation and nursery planning. Using repeatable systems across new plantings can improve labour and machinery efficiency, while nursery orders need to be placed well in advance so the right varieties, rootstocks and tree specifications are available when redevelopment is scheduled.

Overall, the resource encourages growers to treat strategic planning as a deliberate review of climate risk, variety mix, planting systems, innovation, capital and future market position. The aim is to identify the changes needed early enough for the business to implement them in a financially sustainable way.