Growing avocado in the Waikato

Waikato orchardist Robert Litchwark blames his aunt Margaret for the fact
he’s an avocado orchardist.

“My aunt used to put avocado stones in milk bottles to grow seedlings and then give them to me.



Monitor pests
Phytophthora disease is controlled by regular injection using the Aongatate system once a year and Robert carries out most of the pruning work himself.

He’s also recently learned to monitor pests under the AvoGreen programme, and with his own tractor-driven sprayer applies sprays when needed.

Like most others, Robert’s orchard is affected by irregular bearing, but some trees produce consistently – year after year. “I’ve tried to find out why, but so far can’t see a pattern,” says Robert.

Harvesting all fruit before January does have an influence on crops for the next two seasons, he believes. “I sincerely hope all my fruit is picked well before then this season.”

Robert also hopes exporters will carefully manage this coming season’s record five million tray crop to protect grower returns.

“Last time the industry had a big crop exporters flooded the Australian market and prices crashed. I think all exporters will be closely watched by growers this season.”

Takahe and kiwi
Robert grew up on a dairy farm close to his current home but began his working career with the New Zealand Forest Service, which suited his love of trees, the outdoors and hunting.

He returned to dairying but says it wasn’t for him. “To be a successful dairy farmer you have to enjoy what you are doing and when I stopped enjoying it, it was time to do something else.”

Today Robert runs his own avocado orchard, works on a neighbouring gold kiwifruit orchard, and spends considerable time as a volunteer at Maungatautari Ecological Island.

Always keen on the bush and birdlife, Robert says he’d never thought he’s hold a takahe or hunt and capture kiwi – but that’s among his experiences since joining the group operating the inland ‘island’ protected by a 47 kilometre predator-proof fence.


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