To make the most money selling apples, growing organically is the way to go, says a Central Otago orchard manager.
Chris Denniston, orchard manager for Springvale Orchard, in Alexandra, and manager of Central Organics packhouse in Ettrick, said 45,000 apples went through the packing shed last year.
Those exported to the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe in 18kg boxes fetched about $30 to $45 per box.
The same quantity sold in New Zealand for about $20 (distributed from Fresh Direct in Christchurch).
‘‘You don't get the same money [as export] but they [organic apples] are still a premium above what any ordinary grower would sell on the local market,'' Mr Denniston said.
Central Organics has a packhouse in Ettrick which is owned by Stu and Phil McDowell, of Springvale Orchard, and John and Barbara Campbell, of JD Campbell and Co orchard, Earnscleugh.
Springvale Orchard grows about 14ha of organic apples and has been organically certified by Bio-Gro for nine years.
The Campbells have 6ha of Bio-Gro organic apples.
They are two of six Central Otago orchards supplying Central Organics, as well as one orchard from Christchurch.
Varieties include jazz, braeburn and fuji which reach the highest prices, as well as royal gala, pacific rose, pacific queen and pacific beauty.
Mr Denniston said growing apples organically was the way of the future. ‘‘In Central Otago especially, because our climate's so good. It suits organic growing, we don't get the pest problems they have elsewhere in New Zealand. We don't have the wet springs and wet weather anyone else gets.''
He said braeburn generally reached the highest prices, but were the most challenging variety to grow organically.
Conventional orchards in Central Otago had been pulling out braeburn because the variety was no longer getting good returns.
Weaver Horticultural Ltd adviser Earnscy Weaver said he would rather see orchardists converting to organics than chopping their trees down.
‘‘Going for conversion to organics is a very good option.''
HortResearch Clyde Research Centre has a 2.5ha commercial block of organic jazz apples licensed to Enza.
Orchard manager Alister O'Brien said scientist Howard Wearing established the organic block in 1991 while researching the potential of organic pipfruit and stonefruit in Central Otago.
‘‘He showed the local growers that it could be done practically.
‘‘Dr Wearing could see the potential for growing organic fruit in Central Otago because of its dry climate, low insect pressure and low disease pressure.''
However, powdery mildew thrived in Central Otago's dry conditions.
It was more of a problem in Otago than elsewhere in New Zealand, he said.
Funding was required for more research to be done on organic growing, he said.
‘‘One of the key things we've got in our favour organically is we can get away with growing smaller-sized apples than conventional growers so we can hang more on the tree.''
However, small apples did have limitations.
‘‘If you load a tree up you get marbles [small apples] and you probably don't get as much the following year and the tree takes a rest. It's called biennial bearing.''
