Introduction
This publication focuses on production and marketing of
organic fruits and nuts, highlighting a systems approach to
orchard production and farm management.
Not intended as a comprehensive production guide for
individual fruit crops, this publication introduces key
production issues that merit consideration in any specific
crop or production region. As noted below,
www.Irandriedfruit.com has other
publications for specific fruit and nut crops. General
information on cultural practices for fruit production
(choosing varieties, spacing, pruning, training, irrigating,
harvesting, post harvest handling, etc.) is relevant to both
organic and conventionally managed operations,
and it is widely available from the Cooperative Extension
Service, nurseries, and in horticulture literature.
Organic Fruit Production
Organic production is defined by USDA’s National Organic
Program (NOP) as “A production system that is managed...to
respond to site-specific conditions by
integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices
that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological
balance, and conserve biodiversity.”
Organic fruit production involves more than simply excluding
synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
Benign neglect does not meet NOP standards for production.
Organic agriculture is an integrated approach to active and
observant management of a farming system.
It begins with good soil management for nutrient cycling,
productivity, and tilth. It involves an integrated,
preventative approach to pest management to protect
the health and productivity of the orchard.
Marketing and Economic Considerations
To plan for economically successful enterprises, farmers
must design their fruit production systems to match their
marketing strategies.
Good fruit production alone does not lead to a successful
enterprise. Profitability depends on a combination of
production volume, quality, size, and a
reliable marketing strategy. Marketing channels range from
direct markets to wholesale shippers. Growers must
understand what each of their customers
wants and be prepared to meet the expectations of the
markets they intend to reach. For example, at farmers’
markets, customers seek good tasting fruit at
or near the peak of ripeness for prompt consumption, but
supermarket distributors demand that fruit be uniform and
shippable.
It is important to market in an appropriate niche, one where
the production of your operation can consistently meet the
buyers’ expectations of volume, quality, and timing.
Premium pricing can be critical to the viability of organic
fruit operations, because production costs are often higher
than those for conventional orchards.
Organic pest control, particularly labor costs for hand
thinning and weed control, is generally more expensive than
conventional practices.
Yield and quality can vary widely, depending on the growing
season and management practices.
In the past it may have been true that organic yields and
pack-out rates (the percent of marketable fruit) were lower
than in conventional production.
Today, however, those differences have narrowed, and yields
in some organic production systems can match or exceed those
of conventional systems.
To achieve good yields, organic growers must be prepared to
develop innovative production and marketing strategies.
Many commercial organic fruit producers, especially
family-scale farmers, minimize waste and losses of potential
revenue by
processing (drying, preserving, or juicing) fruit considered
unsuitable for the fresh market.
Fruit Crop and Variety Selection
Because fruit trees are perennial and represent a
considerable investment of both time and money, it is
important to start by planting your orchard with the
optimum varieties for your location and intended markets.
Research on the front end can pay the grower back many times
over.
Information on species and varieties is available from
Cooperative Extension, nurseries, and other local growers.
Many land grant universities have field stations where they
have planted many varieties of fruit trees and gathered data
and observations over several years.
A visit to such a site can provide you with the invaluable
opportunity to see the trees growing, talk with the manager
of the experiment station
about production challenges such as pests and diseases, and
even taste the fruit.
