Digital technologies for apple production
Tiriphoni apple farm
Description
Tiriphoni Gardens is a well-known agricultural company in the Shida Kartli region of Georgia that is famous for its apple production. The company uses a wide range of digital technologies and tools for its production, sorting and storage activities. It occupies 31 ha of land, of which 28 ha is occupied by an apple orchard that makes use of precision agriculture equipment, including an automated irrigation and fertigation system, a meteorological station, and sensors measuring temperature, humidity, precipitation, and pests and disease. Tiriphoni Gardens harvests around 1000 tonnes of apples annually, which are sorted and graded by size, colour and weight through the use of an apple sorting line and ISO-certified cold storage facility.
Technology
The orchard uses a wide range of precision agriculture technologies that employ sensors, GIS and algorithm technologies. The farm uses an automated fertigation system through which high-quality, certified fertilizers and pesticides are automatically applied to the orchard. The meteorological station, together with the sensors installed in the orchard, gathers temperature, humidity, soil moisture, mineral content, rainfall, solar radiation and wind speed data, and identify potential pest and disease outbreaks. The data collected by the station is processed by a decision support system (DSS) that applies algorithms and models to the collected data to come up with recommendations for crop management and pest control. An agronomist analyses the collected information and plans the necessary interventions for the orchard to flourish and thrive. The company uses a second-hand sorting and grading line that sorts the apples by size, colour and shape, and through various technologies, such as weight and laser sensors, machine vision and X-ray scanners, the line singles out apples that do not meet the defined criteria. The sorting line has the capacity to sort and grade up to five tonnes of apples per hour, and after sorting, the apples are transferred to the storage unit. The operates an ISO-certified cold storage facility where up to 1000 tonnes of apples can be stored, and that is also equipped with sensors that allow operators to set and maintain the humidity and temperature levels required to store the apples, achieving energy efficiencies.
Target
“Tiriphoni Gardens” boasts super-intensive apple and pear orchards sprawled across a 31-ha area in the village of Kvarkheti in Gori. Apples are the main crop, while pears are grown in a 2.6-ha sub-section. Total investments into the orchards have reached GEL 13 million. The company employs ten permanent staff, although the workforce increases to 50 during peak seasons. Tiriphoni started out on this journey to the creation of bountiful gardens in 2014.
Business model
Tiriphoni Gardens successfully applied to multiple grant programs offered by international donor organizations to finance the project, with further investments from its own coffers and from credits issued under the Preferential Agrocredit Programme, whereby the state subsidizes a substantial part of the loan interest rate.
Impact
Tiriphoni Gardens launched its operations in 2014, and it is today one of the largest apple producers in Georgia, leading in 2017 to it being granted European Union (EU) quality certification. As a net importer of apples, Georgia imports significantly more apples than it exports. Consequently, Tiriphoni Gardens’ produce is primarily sold within the Georgian market, contributing to national sovereignty. The company is the first in Georgia to obtain GLOBAL G.A.P. certification for apple production. One of the challenges faced by Tiriphoni Gardens is the lack of specialized laboratories in Georgia for quality control testing, meaning that it must send products to laboratories abroad and pay the associated high costs for such services. The integration of a weather station and sensors contributes to efficient resource utilization and timely interventions, as well as the efficient use of water, fertilizers and pesticides when needed. The operation’s environmental footprint is thus reduced as Tiriphoni Gardens does not overconsume resources, using only what is needed in terms of fertilizers, pesticides, and water for production. Furthermore, the employees are less exposed to chemicals, and the potential adverse effects on their health are reduced. The automated grading and sorting line helps to achieve efficiencies and reduce labour costs through automation, while also increasing marketability by ensuring consistent quality standards, meaning higher prices and better profitability for the producer. It can also reduce food losses by separating apples that are not marketable for sale, but that can be consumed in other ways.
Partners
Agritouch
Four Betters
Better production
