Munckhof Fruit Tech Innovators adopts HAS Student’s Model for precision fruit growing
Munckhof Fruit Tech Innovators uses Luuk Tijssen’s calculation model to show the financial benefits of precision fruit growing.
Munckhof Fruit Tech Innovators will use a mathematical model developed by Luuk Tijssena student at HAS, to help fruit growers evaluate the financial benefits of precision fruit growing. The model aims to show how investments in advanced farming techniques can boost productivity, efficiency and sustainability.
Precision fruit growing integrates technologies such as drones, GPS and advanced camera systems to gather precise data about orchards. Munckhof has been developing these technologies to assist fruit growers. By leveraging drone imagery and data processing, they provide detailed insights on flower density, tree vigor and fruit size. This data, integrated with Munckhof’s equipment like sprayers and root pruners, allows for a more uniform and high-quality harvest.
Luuk Tijssen
“Every orchard is different, not only in size but also in the variety of fruits grown,” Munckhof stated in its press release. “Luuk Tijssen’s calculation model is a godsend. It calculates the economic benefits and payback periods of precision fruit growing methods, making investments transparent and facilitating decision-making.”
Tijssen, a Business Administration and Agribusiness student at HAS in Den Bosch and son of a fruit grower, developed his model to quantify the financial benefits of precision fruit growing. His research, supported by data from Fruit 4.0 of Wageningen WUR, fruit growers, Rabobank, and consultants, focuses on key techniques like spraying, root pruning, and crop registration at harvest. The model highlights that precision fruit growing is most profitable for varieties prone to thinning or rotation, such as Elstar, Kanzi, SPRANK, Gala, and Golden Delicious.
One surveyed farm reported that GPS applications for sprayers and root knives paid for themselves within a year on their 18 hectares of apples.
“The calculation model makes investments in precision fruit growing transparent,” said Munckhof in its press release. “It enables fruit growers to manage their capital more efficiently and optimize their operational performance.”
For more information, visit Munckhof Fruit Tech Innovators.