A new multi-row orchard sprayer kitted out with the latest guidance and implement control technology has improved spraying accuracy for Kent-based apple and pear producer, ACH Farming.
ACH Farming produces a diverse range of fruit and arable crops on 4000 acres in Kent. As one of the UK’s largest apple producers, the family-run business has capitalised on the farm’s natural ability to produce large volumes of fruit by investing in new technologies to enhance crop quality and maximise output: in addition to solar PV panels which power the farm’s cold stores, the business is also investing in new equipment to improve crop protection, aid operator training and enhance record keeping.
ACH Farming originally started as a 202-acre enterprise in the 1940s when Arthur Cecil Hulme moved from Lancashire to Kent to start a mixed farm at Great Pedding. Under the guidance of Arthur’s sons, Humphrey and Tim, the business went through a period of rapid expansion in the late 1900s and early 2000s, and has subsequently developed into a modern agri-business, by grandson Tom.
Today the business is the main UK supplier of apples into LIDL supermarkets, with the farm’s mixed arable, potato and livestock enterprise complemented by 110ha of apples, 50ha of pears and 15ha of cherries, 12ha plums, 10ha apricots and 10ha asparagus.
“Each year we plant an additional 5 to 15ha of new orchards,” explains the farm’s Fruit Production Manager, Paul Hamlyn, “and have recently started to upgrade our fleet of orchard sprayers by investing in our first multi-row sprayer.”
From April through to the end of August, each of the farm’s apple orchards is sprayed on a weekly basis with a combination of foliar nutrients, fungicides and insecticides.
“Quality is everything when it comes to fruit production,” Paul explains, “so it’s vital that we can spray quickly and accurately throughout the growing season.
“We’re fortunate to have the perfect micro-climate to grow large volumes of good quality produce, but we still need to make sure that each and every spray treatment is applied accurately and on time every week.”
The farm’s apple orchards produce approximately 70-100t/ha, roughly twice the national average, thanks to deep soils, a natural soil pH of 6.5, and a micro-climate which reduces disease pressure.
“Our location close to the coast ensures there’s nearly always a wind blowing through the orchards,” Paul continues. “That helps to dry the leaves quickly after rain which helps to keep diseases at bay.
“However, despite the favourable conditions, we still need to be at the top of our game to reduce pressure from diseases such as apple canker, apple scab and mildew and to protect the developing crop from damage caused by pests such as codling moth, woolly aphid and rosy apple aphid.”
A fleet of four orchard sprayers works continuously throughout the spring and summer to apply crop protection products, with one of the farm’s sprayer operators now in his thirtieth season with ACH Farming. “We’re fortunate to have such a long-serving member of staff as it can be tricky to find and retain younger staff,” Paul describes. “We’re constantly in a cycle of training new spray operators which can make it a challenge to ensure every treatment is applied properly.”
To alleviate the potential for mistakes, the farm’s newest sprayer – a three-row Munckhof 2000 litre sprayer trailed behind a Landini REX 4-110V tractor – has been equipped with a suite of precision application equipment from Topcon Agriculture.
The upgrades include a Topcon AES-35 electronic auto-steering wheel, a Topcon AGS-2 receiver unlocked to receive an RTK (real time
kinematic positioning) signal, a Topcon XD+ control screen, Topcon JS-20 joystick, Topcon Apollo sprayer ECU, and cab-mounted Topcon CropSpec crop monitors, all of which were supplied and installed by Cambridgeshire-based LH Agro.
“The upgrades were purchased with the help of funding from a business productivity grant and were installed onto the new tractor and sprayer to make the new spraying outfit easier, quicker, more accurate and less tiring to operate,” Paul explains.
“We’re still learning how the CropSpec sensors and variable rate sprayer controller can help us to reduce input costs and maximise crop quality, but even in their first season the new auto-steering and guidance equipment and control console are already proving their worth.”
With each orchard mapped to an accuracy of as little as 2cm, and target application rates pre-programmed into the sprayer’s control console, even the most novice of spray operators can accurately and efficiently operate the sprayer.
“The Topcon equipment allows a novice sprayer to quickly become a competent spray operator,” Paul describes. “Once in the orchard it’s as simple as pressing one button to start the sprayer and putting the tractor on the relevant guidance line. The Topcon equipment then takes over by auto-steering the tractor through the orchard and automatically stopping and starting the sprayer at each headland turn.
“I can even watch the sprayer’s progress remotely, and monitor application rates to ensure each row of trees is being sprayed properly. I can also download the Topcon console’s work reports into our farm management software and share the data generated with customers to streamline their auditing process.”
Compared to the farm’s existing single-row sprayers which can treat a one hectare orchard in approximately 30 minutes, the multi-row spray can cover the same area in 15-20 minutes. “There’s an obvious time saving which enables us to make the most of favourable weather windows, but the new equipment also helps to minimise operator fatigue,” Paul continues. “Instead of concentrating on steering a perfectly straight line between each row of trees, the auto-steering kit enables the sprayer operator to focus on spray coverage and looking out for nozzle blockages.
“As a result, we’re covering more ground per day and getting better crop quality thanks to the improvements in spray coverage. That’s a win-win scenario which more than justifies the investment.”
LH Agro UK Ltd is proud to be the UK’s approved specialist for Topcon Precision Agriculture Systems.
For more information visit https://www.lh-agro.co.uk or call or email us at 01480 496367 and sales@lh-agro.co.uk