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APPLE MONITORING : A WHOLE SYSTEM APPROACH TO GROWER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH : GERMANY & THE NETHERLANDS
Most orchards were 8 years old on MIX stock.
Tree numbers varied between 1250 – 3472/ha and the selected orchards covered single and double row planting as well as 4, 5 and 6 row beds.
Flower numbers varied between 0.95 m and 5.27 m/ha but often orchards with high flower numbers set a lower percentage of fruit.
Fruit set varied between 7.5 and 34.1%. Average fruit number/tree varied between 105 and 330. Average fruit weight on an orchard basis varied between 140 and 280 g.
Highest extrapolated yield was 92.2 t/ha and the lowest 19 t/ha.
Gross margins varied markedly between districts mainly because of average price.
The highest gross margin recorded was DM 62,000 per ha and the lowest DM 9800. Harvesting and marketing costs represented about 20% of total returns but chemical costs were less significant in the range 3.0 – 3.3% of total returns.
Market prices on average were highest in the south of Germany (DM 0.82/kg) and lowest in The Netherlands (DM 0.48/kg).
It has been possible to identify and analyse the reasons for many of the differences recorded and some of the growers have been able to make management changes as a result.