GFS Agribusiness Advisory

22/05/2026

Pruning Post 3: One of the most overlooked parts of pruning is skill retention.

Many farms rebuild pruning teams and standards every season — forcing the process to start from the beginning each year.

The real value comes from keeping experienced teams and building on previous years’ pruning strategies.

When the same people remain involved year after year:

• Trees are shaped more consistently
• Teams understand the pruning objectives faster
• Decision-making in the orchard improves
• Pruning becomes quicker and more targeted
• Long-term pruning costs start reducing

Good pruning is not just about managing trees.

It is about developing and retaining orchard knowledge within the team.

Over time, this consistency compounds into better structure, better efficiency and better production.

13/05/2026

Post 2 — How to Approach Pruning

Most pruning mistakes happen before the first cut is even made.

Before approaching the tree, the size and shape must already be decided.

While different cultivars and crops may require small adjustments, the core principles remain the same.

The first factor is row spacing.

A tree should generally not exceed ±80% of the row spacing in height to allow proper sunlight pe*******on through the full canopy.

The second factor is harvest strategy.

You need to decide where you want fruit to be produced and harvested.
That decision should shape the tree.

Once the structure is established, pruning becomes about light distribution and airflow.

The goal is to create “windows” through the canopy that allow leopard-spot sunlight throughout the tree.

This is achieved by removing:

• Vertical shoots on the outer canopy
• Branches growing back into the tree
• Crossing branches that create congestion

Besides improving light pe*******on, this also improves spray coverage and overall canopy efficiency.

Pruning is not about cutting branches.

It is about building a productive tree structure.

05/05/2026

Most farms treat pruning as maintenance.

It’s not.

It’s production planning - and one of the biggest levers you have.

Get it wrong, and you limit yield, efficiency and quality.
Get it right, and everything starts to align.

This is Part 1 — next we’ll look at how to approach pruning practically.

29/04/2026

Today’s question:

What do the following have in common?

• Shape of a tree
• Flowering potential
• Harvest efficiency
• Fruit quality

Give it your best shot.

The answer will be revealed in 24 hours.

🏆 First correct answer wins a free GFS advisory session.

May the best nuts win.

22/04/2026

20/04/2026

Busy season is where next season is won or lost.

Most farms are under pressure right now.

Everything focuses on what needs to get done today —
harvest, labour, logistics.

But farming doesn’t wait.

Pruning, irrigation, fertiliser and spraying still need to be prepared.

Miss the window… and you don’t fix it next month.
You fix it next season.

This is exactly where structured planning makes the difference.

30/03/2026

Three Numbers Every Farming Business Should Know – #3 Margin per Hectare

Good yields.
Good prices.
Still no profit.

It happens every season.... because margin per hectare is the only number that tells the truth.

Margin =
Production × Price − Cost

This is where everything comes together:

Your production system.

Your cost structure.

Your market reality.

If one is out… the whole business model slips.

The farmers who win know these three numbers cold:

Cost per hectare

Cost per kilogram

Margin per hectare

That’s the moment farming stops being guesswork...
and starts becoming a business.

24/03/2026

Three Numbers Every Farming Business Should Know – #2 Cost per Kilogram

Same farm.
Same cost per hectare.

Completely different cost per kilogram.

The difference?

Production.

Cost per hectare does not determine profitability.

Cost per kilogram does.

This is where production and financial performance meet.

Understanding this number changes how decisions are made:

• Input spend
• Irrigation
• Timing of operations
• Yield targets

Without production, cost per hectare is just a number.

With production, it becomes a management tool.

23/03/2026

Three Numbers Every Farming Business Should Know – #2 Cost per Kilogram.

Same farm. Same cost. Completely different cost per kg. The difference? Production.

Cost per hectare doesn’t drive profit. Production does.

18/03/2026