Ridgewood_12-002_PrelimOMP_110913

                                                                                  MWA Environmental




     3.2 AVOCADO FARM OPERATIONS
       3.2.1      EXISTING OPERATIONS

       The existing orchard currently comprises two varieties of avocados, the
       Shepard and Hass. Traditionally dry matter samples of the product are
       taken from February to determine whether the avocados achieve the
       relevant industry standard prior to harvest and marketing. Once this
       sampling and sizing has been determined as correct to proceed with
       harvest, there is then a window of time February through to realistically
       October to harvest, without pushing bienniality4 in the trees.

       The farm has the ability to store fruit on-site and pre-cool for transport to the
       various destinations nationally and internationally, a quantity of no less than
       5000 units. This fruit can then also be stored past the October period if
       required to attract a premium return without detriment to the product. There
       is capacity for up to double that amount for non-refrigerated storage prior to
       packing.

       Because of the extensive equipment range and adoption of high speed
       packing equipment, the farm has the ability to process up to 450 pieces of
       fruit per minute. This requires shed staff of between 5 and 9 personnel,
       subject to the speed and grading that is designated and the premium market
       requires.

       To supply the shed with the required fruit for orders, it is dependent on
       whether the farm is strip picking or select picking. Either way, there is
       versatility in that packers can also pick if required. Fruit is then stored in the
       rooms and packed at high speed when required. This procedure allows the
       farm to operate around the weather patterns very effectively. Typically,
       about a dozen staff can supply the right size and quantity required. Staffing
       is, however, highly variable with occasions of 35 or 40 people in previous
       years and also some seasons with rotation of 10 to 15 people.

       There is a family staff working on the farm in addition to permanent staff,
       one for nearly 20 years and the other more than 10 years, and regular
       seasonal workers, one of which has been working at the farm for 20 years.

       Once the commercial quantities have been harvested and the flower is
       beginning to incept it is necessary to irrigate and apply foliar applications of
       Boron to assist with fruit health and set. This is followed by calcium
       applications. Under-tree maintenance duties are required, granular fertiliser
       applications, weedicide applications, side slashing to throw as much mulch
       as able to be generated under the trees. The available mulch is limited at
       present and will be rectified by the proposed reuse of composted litter
       material.




4 Undesirable condition where trees can produce a quality harvest only every second year



Ridgewood 12-002                                   13                             11 September 2013