Fruit size progress update — January 2013

January 2013 | Prepared by AgFirst | Future Orchards® Business Development Programme update

This January 2013 Future Orchards® Business Development Programme update provides growers with a seasonal snapshot of fruit-size progress. The purpose of the monitoring program was to move fruit-size management from guesswork to repeated measurement against block targets.

Participating growers could compare current fruit measurements with historical performance and expected growth trajectories. Where a block was falling behind, the information prompted a review of the factors that can still influence final size, including crop load, irrigation, nutrition and tree health.

Because fruit size changes rapidly through the growing season, the value of the program came from repeated measurement rather than a single sample. Consistent methods also allowed comparisons between blocks and seasons and supported better forecasting of likely harvest size distribution.

The update is a useful example of the data-driven management approach promoted through the Business Development Programme: measure performance early, compare it with the plan and act while management options remain available.