Fruit tree orchard establishment

Abstract

The agronomic and economic success of a fruit-tree orchard is mainly determined by the choices made by the grower during the planting stage. A distinctive feature of fruit tree orchards is the very high investment cost for their establishment and the fluctuations in the revenue stream over their lifetime. Growers do not immediately make a profit after planting, and their success depends on the proper choice of fruit tree species, on orchard design and on the specific goals they choose to pursue. Moreover, profitability will also depend on a careful analysis of the economic, environmental, technological, social and infrastructural (transportation system, energetic resources, supply chain logistic) resources available. Today, most fruit tree growers opt to specialize and intensify their production. However, tree density (number of plants per hectare), length of the economically unproductive period, farming methods, production stability over time and many other factors, including ecological sustainability, should be taken into account by the grower when establishing an orchard.