What was it all about?

This project was the third in the ongoing Future Orchards series, which began in 2006. Its aim was to assist the Australian apple and pear industry meet the challenges of a domestic market open to import competition and at the same time expand export markets.

Orchard walks were the central activity of the project. They provided an opportunity for attendees to ask questions at practical, in-orchard demonstrations and for hosts to display their best blocks, and offer insights into orchard management and productivity.

Each walk also added quality material to the Future Orchards Library which is now the most comprehensive set of practical orchard advice in Australia.

As part of the project, Future Orchards project manager AgFirst tailored its database OrchardNet to give growers specific information upon which to base management decisions. It can produce reports on tree age, productivity, variety mix, profitability, fruit sizing and benchmark aspects of orchard performance against a range of local, state or national orchards.

Questionnaires related to the project found 93 per cent of growers surveyed had made changes or planned to do so as a result of this Future Orchards project. Key measured outcomes have been improved orchard performance and changing on-farm orchard practices.

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Access the huge amount of grower information in the Future Orchards library.