The importance of spray accuracy and monitoring for Saratoga Fruit

Theo Doms is the production manager at Saratoga Fruit Estate, a top-class producer that uses Farmtrack for all its spray and farm management needs. Saratoga produces a variety of citrus and stonefruit. Their stonefruit production includes nectarines, peaches and plums, and their citrus production is focused on soft citrus, nadorcotts, novas and eureka lemons.

“Our farm is in production 12 months of the year, so we are constantly monitoring phenological stages of the trees, depending on what season it is. We are always monitoring irrigation needs, spraying needs and amongst others pest control.”

Theo says that there are numerous challenges that come with working around the clock – especially when spraying. “Different crops need different pesticides, and that is crucial to monitor throughout the year. This also allows us to keep the data for comparisons from year to year.”

Saratoga started using Farmtrack in October 2018. The need for it arose from wanting to keep a closer eye on spraying especially during night time. Mistakes creep in sometimes, and with Farmtrack it’s much easier to pinpoint where something went wrong instead of using guesswork. “Now we know for sure what tractors were spraying, what time they were spraying and at what speeds they were spraying. From that perspective it really is priceless.

“I would not want to continue farming without Farmtrack, as we trust the technology and it has really helped us significantly.” Theo says one of his favourite features is the overtime monitor, specifically because they spray at night. This allows them to get a handle on how much overtime is being used, and that data feeds directly into their payment system as well.

“Spray accuracy is important. There is no more skipping of rows now. If it does happen, we can go back and rectify it in no time. Human error slips in sometimes, and it is great to have a tool that can really help you to iron out these sorts of human errors. Subsequently it has also had a positive impact on our sprayer’s performances and overall morale.”

For Saratoga, Farmtrack has gone from a monitoring tool to an accuracy tool. “Sprayers know that they are doing the right thing, and that they are driving at the right speed and not missing any rows. It makes sure everyone is doing the best they can, to yield the best product.”

According to Theo, the national and international competition is increasing, and one needs to be at optimal performance for a farm, as this is crucial for survival. Agricultural technology like Farmtrack helps with this. “It’s good to see that technology companies are paying attention to agriculture. Every farm needs to decide for themselves what they need, what will help them improve, and what is cost effective for them, and invest in that. I would definitely recommend it as an agricultural tool, and I look forward to seeing what they include in their services in the coming years. I wouldn’t want to farm without it.”