ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF SUPER-INTENSIVE APPLE ORCHARDS

From an analysis on practical holdings it appears that in the range of 2000 to 4000 trees per ha, an increase in planting density is resulting in better economic results.

It is expected that a further increase in the number of trees, up to a level of 12000 trees/ha, still may lead to an improvement of the economic results.
Orchards with more than 12000 trees/ha are expected to offer better results than with 2000 to 4000 trees, but poorer than 8000 and 12000 trees/ha.

The results of these super-intensive plantings appear to be very sensitive to changes in the assumptions with regard to lifetime, production level and fruit prices.

This means that more insight in the technical possibilities and limitations of super-intensive orchards is of great importance.
The possible lifetime, production and fruit quality are in this respect the most important aspects.

V International Symposium on Orchard and Plantation Systems

J. Goedegebure

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1993.349.48