Set against a backdrop of quintessential English summer weather, Concept Orchard was officially launched at its pilot site in Maidstone, Kent, last week and is causing something of a buzz throughout the industry.
And it is easy to see why. A collaborative project between Sainsbury’s and supplier, and leading top-fruit specialist, OrchardWorld - the introduction of the scheme could revolutionise apple growing and be a major boost for the British top-fruit industry.
Despite its impressive targets, the idea is relatively simple, and one that has been in practice in the Netherlands for the last decade: apple trees are planted in a rich fertiliser in close proximity - one metre apart and 3.25m between rows - and are specially trained. The result is that, within two years of planting, growers can potentially triple their yields per hectare to around 60 tonnes from an average of 20t, seen in traditional orchards. It also means that significantly less pesticides are required.
“The idea for Concept Orchard was borne out of frustration for us at OrchardWorld,” says the company’s Laurence Olins. “We saw better systems being used elsewhere and we did a survey and were concerned that [British growers’] yields were not matching the competition. We wanted British growers to be profitable but if they’re underperforming in their yields it’s very difficult - our growers produce more tonnes of strawberries per acre than apples.”
In collaboration with Sainsbury’s OrchardWorld decided to act on this information and enlisted the help of Fruit Consult, a consultancy agency for fruit growers based in Randwijk, in the Netherlands. They then joined up with the Sunnucks family, growers based at Rankins Farm, and put up £40,000 to plant and run a pilot orchard of around one hectare - 3,400 trees - on their land for the next six years. The principal varieties being grown are Royal Gala, Cox and Braeburn, together with trial plantings of Delbar Estival, Rubens, Junani, Pinova and Bramley. “When the fruit produced matches the costs of the orchard in five years’ time, we will give it free of charge to Rankins Farm,” Olins says.
But more than just a test-run, the project site will act as a learning tool for any of Sainsbury’s apple growers who are interested in adopting the approach. Fruit Consult advisor Jan Peeterson will visit the farm each quarter to give advice in planting, training and pruning the trees.
It will also be used as a resource by Sainsbury’s technical staff and regularly monitored.
While the initial cost of setting up an orchard in this way is comparatively high, the heightened productivity means growers can expect to see returns in a relatively short period of time compared to traditional orchards. The site at Rankins Farm was planted at the end of April and will see a yield of around 20t in October. The associated costs of production will also be slashed: the smaller plot means it is less labour intensive and pruning is also a simpler process, so workers do not have to be highly trained and less are needed.
Another string to the Concept Orchard bow is that growers are assured of a consistent supply of good-sized, quality fruit, according to Will Sibley, the nurseryman who supplied the trees for the project and an active figure in its development. “Trees need sunlight, adequate moisture, adequate nutrition and day-length for development. By this method, you can give them all these elements.
“There is an ideal crop loading for each tree, the advantage of this is it’s controllable. On the old system, you have a huge variability of cropping. One year you might have 500 apples and the next year 100. This system is much more likely to give you an even number of apples every single year and then it’s so much easier to plan,” he says, adding that the initial outlay has to be put into perspective, as traditional orchards demand higher running costs and significant annual investment to maintain.
The promise of consistently good-quality crops is achieved by maximising the sunlight each tree receives. Branches are trained and pruned to create a kind of “sun table”. “Producing 60t of fruit is great stuff, but the important point is that it has to be 60t of fruit that Sainsbury’s can sell - and this system of maximum light means the potential to do a very high grade out,” Sibley says.
And while the scheme’s initial focus is on apples, there is no reason why it couldn’t be applied to plum or pear growing, which is something the Sunnucks say they are looking to embark on next. Tony Sunnucks is convinced that Concept Orchard is not a passing fad, and thinks it will revolutionise the industry: “It’s certainly the way forward,” he says. “It means we could make a living off half the land. Instead of 100 acres, we could have 50a and grow as much.”
To quote many key industry figures at the launch, Concept Orchard looks set to be a win-win situation for everybody, including Sainsbury’s. The retailer’s participation in the scheme is a real feather in its cap - its growers will be able to produce more cost effectively and with less pesticides, and it has been a rare opportunity for the chain to show how it is supporting its growers and furthermore, supporting the British industry. The project actually comes under its Farm Promise scheme - initially created to support dairy farmers with a guaranteed income to convert to organic - and has been extended with the aim of increasing British fruit growing and boost UK agriculture.
It will also mean a greater choice of British varieties for its consumers, according to Sainsbury’s brand director Judith Batchelar: “What this Concept Orchard does is very clearly produce a win-win situation for producers and consumers. For consumers, it brings them a fantastic opportunity to buy British and gives them the chance to try something new because there’s a lot of apple varieties that they do not experience because we just do not produce enough volumes,” she said.
Whether or not Concept Orchard will provide the entire industry with an answer to increasing its competitiveness and help to boost business in a tough marketplace remains to be seen. However, there is no doubt that if it achieves its goals on the small scale at Rankins farm, the possibilities for the industry are significant.
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