Apple farming

Hello All,

Just looking for some advice. I was watching a show on apple orchards in Ireland and I think this is a venture I would like to take up and see how well it does.

Ear to the ground mentioned 90% of commercial apples are imported from outside ireland. It looks like a big market.


To be quite honest this is all very new to me and I have no clue about orchards or anything like that, but it really interests me.
Does anyone have any other advice ?

Thanks in advance

You posted this in the Investments forum so do you mean that you want to invest money into this (where somebody else is actually doing the hands on work) or you actually want to become an apple farmer yourself?

To be honest, either way, making such an investment decision (or any decision really) based on one TV programme seems very capricious. Why do you think that this, of all things, is the most suitable investment for your overall financial and personal circumstances? Especially when, by your own admission, you have no clue about it?

Sorry I should have mentioned, I own a small piece of land that I wanted some input on what to do with it.

It's full of rushes, so not particularly suited to livestock. I had seen recommedations for land like this, to plant it. So I was wondering would apple trees be a viable investment?

forestry like oaks, beeches, etc. is another option

tommybc said:

forestry like oaks, beeches, etc. is another option

Click to expand...

If you have a couple of hundred years to spare!

Hello @tommybc

I'd suggest that you contact the likes of Bord Bia and The Department of Agriculture, to get some helpful information, and possibly even some funding.

Assuming your land is suitable, and that you've enough land to justify the investment, and effort required, I'd be looking into the different species of apples to see which are the most popular, and get the best price, in Ireland.

I'd also be looking into modern growing techniques, to ensure you maximise your crop.

There's no doubt that large retailers want to source more food locally, most people probably want to buy locally produced food, you'd expect it to be fresher, and it's helping reduce unnecessary transport costs, along with related pollution.

Best of luck with it!

Some information here: https://www.teagasc.ie/rural-economy/rural-development/diversification/commercial-apple-production/

Or contact your local Teagasc advisor: https://www.teagasc.ie/about/farm-advisory/advisory-services/

If you're serious about doing this then sign up to take a Level 5 horticulture course with Teagasc or an equivalent elsewhere.
See https://www.teagasc.ie/education/teagasc-colleges/
You can complete it in a year and it would give you some valuable information and insights, plus you have direct access to some very knowledgable people for your own particular questions.
There are loads of different options for the land, all depends on how much you want to be involved in it yourself.

Worth having a conversation with a Teagasc ag advisor as well.

Apple trees don't like soft land anyway so if it full of rushes,, that may not be the best option.

There are quite a few commercial apple orchards in County Armagh, maybe worth visiting one of them and speaking to the owners. Like any agri business the risks are high, one bad season could ruin the business.