Developing and Redeveloping Orchards for Profitability

August 2023 | Presented by Paul Vogelaar, Kiwi Crunch, New Zealand | Future Orchards® presentation

Paul Vogelaar of Kiwi Crunch draws on a background in pear production, rootstocks, nursery production, new variety development and orchard redevelopment. His experience includes work with Belle du Jumet, Kanzi and Dazzle, as well as taking responsibility for difficult or underperforming orchard blocks.

The presentation places redevelopment within a wider integrated fruit business that includes orchards, cool stores, packhouse operations, marketing, labour and a nursery producing about 200,000 trees a year. This broader perspective reinforces that redevelopment decisions affect the whole production and supply chain rather than the orchard block alone.

For budget-conscious redevelopment, Vogelaar discusses grafting as a quick and relatively inexpensive way to return blocks to production. Before grafting, growers are encouraged to check virus status, rootstock, missing trees, planting spacing, tree support, irrigation and drainage. The presentation also records the practical challenge of recovering orchards affected by Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.