Launched in 2006, Future Orchards provides growers with practical and hands-on education to improve the fruit quality and productivity of their orchards and increase their competitiveness.
Funded and delivered by APAL, services delivered under Future Orchards include:
- Orchard Walks
- OrchardNet® online benchmarking database
- Orchard Business Analysis (OBA) data
- R&D updates via AFG Magazine, Industry Juice and webinars
Designed to increase production, lower orchard production costs, increase the percentage of premium fruit harvested, Future Orchards is well on track to bring Australian orchardists up to best-in-class standards.
The initial milestones for the Future Orchards project were to:
- Understand intensive production systems within two years
- Ensure all new plantings were intensive within five years
- Build an internationally competitive industry in Australia within 10 years.
The project is well on track to achieving these goals.
In addition, Future Orchards monitors designated ‘Focus Orchard’ blocks with different tree densities and growing-issues in each region. Orchard Walks are held regularly to give growers first-hand comparisons of the costs and benefits of adopting different production systems and approaches.
Access the most recent Future Orchards information at Latest Materials, or revisit older resources in the complete Future Orchards Library.
FUTURE ORCHARDS LIBRARY
