AgFirst - independent consultants to agriculture and horticulture

AgFirst Horticulture Projects and Services


AgFirst horticultural consultants work at all levels of industry. The following projects and services offer some insight in the capabilities of our horticultural consultancy team.

Benchmarking for Intensive Orchard Production

A project set up to study the performance of intensive and semi-intensive apple blocks throughout New Zealand, benchmarking their performance with our established standard planting system in each district. read more...

Enhancing Nelson Kiwifruit Dry Matter

This is an ongoing project to better identify any possible opportunities and trends that may assist Nelson orchards to achieve higher Dry Matter.. read more...

NZ Pipfruit National Crop Estimate and Statistics Annual

Each year Ross and the team collate a huge amount of data to put together these two reports. Historically the crop estimate has been accurate to 4%. The Statistics Annual is becoming a key piece of industry infrastructure.

MAF Farm Monitoring

Each year the MAF Policy monitors the production and financial status of farms and orchards. These models are the basis of MAF Policy’s series of short-term financial and physical forecasts for agriculture and horticulture sectors and regions within New Zealand.

NZ Winegrowers/MAFF SFF Focus Vineyard Project

A three year project to identify best practice and improve adoption within the viticultural industry, with a particular focus on sustainability.

Apple Chemical Thinning

Sponsored by Pipfruit New Zealand and the SFF, this project seeks to find the most efficient and effective method for chemical thinning of various varieties of apples.

Spray Application Technology in Dwarf Apple Orchards

This project spans a period of 3 years and aims to provide apple orchardists with a reliable set of sprayer operational guidelines for different canopies/growth stages/targets with evidence that supports a deviation from current practices. read more...

Braeburn Quality and Eating Experience

A project to restore New Zealand Braeburn apple's reputation as the best in the world.

Club Tentation

Craig Hornblow works with Club Tentation as Project Manager, working towards the goal of achieving 100 ha of quality apple production in this exciting apple variety.

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