Apple Packout Rate: Size Means Everything

The Zulch family of Wakkerstroom farm won the prize for the highest average income per hectare of apples in the 2020 Ceres Fruit Grower Awards. Fourie Zulch spoke to Glenneis Kriel about this accomplishment.

- Fourie Zulch

FAST FACTS

Wakkerstroom’s trees are carefully managed to produce fruit that the market wants.

Quality is more important than production volume, says Fourie Zulch.

Workers are key contributors to the farm’s success.

For Wakkerstroom farm in the Witzenberg Valley, last year’s Ceres Fruit Grower Awards was a triumphant affair. In addition to winning a number of trophies for the production of specific apple varieties, it garnered the award for the highest average income per hectare for apples out of the 39 farmer suppliers who participated.

Fourie Zulch, who farms at Wakkerstroom near Ceres with his father, Robert, ascribes their success to the fact that they opt for high packout rates rather than tonnage per hectare.

“Some farmers try to produce as many apples as possible per hectare, thinking that more is better. But overloading trees negatively affects fruit size and quality, which leads to lower-income per hectare. We focus instead on creating a balance between quality and quantity.”

Nonetheless, different markets have different standards and requirements. For example, when it comes to Early Red apples, which Wakkerstroom markets mainly locally as Top Red, and Mahana Red, a Braeburn apple mutation sold in South Africa, elsewhere on the continent and in the UK, consumers prefer small fruit at a diameter of around 59mm. So Zulch and his team allow trees of these varieties to produce up to 120t/ha during a good season.