Huntaways orchard is not your typical kiwifruit orchard. Situated on a dairy farm high up in the hills south of Te Puke, it sits on undulating contour, is frost prone, and exposed to harsh winds and heavy rain. Yet one of its greatest assets is the open-mindedness of its owner, Murray. An avid TikTok follower and tech-loving individual, he is not your average dairy farmer.

I first met Murray in my previous life as a sales rep, and we got on like a house on fire from the start. When we launched Revive Soil Solutions NZ, he became one of our very first combined dairy and kiwifruit customers.

Facing Significant Challenges

When we started working with Huntaways orchard, the block had clear challenges. A big gully had been filled in during establishment, and the vines in this area struggled to grow. The orchard canopy was sparse, and average production sat between 4,000 and 5,000 trays per hectare.

Our 0.5 hectare grid soil test revealed the issues almost instantly. The black circles on the grid map show the soil testing sites, with the red dots marking the annual monitoring points. The Olsen P levels in the filled gully were significantly lower than the rest of the orchard, most likely due to major soil profile disturbance and inadequate topsoil replacement. This variation was clearly visible in the Olsen P heatmap from 2023.

Historically, the single transect line soil test done annually had completely missed this problem.

Precision Ag in Action

We immediately began a targeted program using slow-release, citric soluble phosphate fertiliser applied on a variable rate basis. We focused on lifting available phosphorus in the deficient areas while applying lower or zero rates in the higher fertility zones.

At the same time, we established cover crops and worked to create a living ecosystem under the canopy, keeping living roots in the ground year-round to rejuvenate microbial life.

Remarkable Results After Three Years

Three years on, the results have been remarkable.

The underperforming vines have responded strongly and the entire orchard now has a vibrant, healthy look when you walk through it. Most impressively, production has tripled. A few weeks ago, Murray proudly shared that they harvested 15,000 trays per hectare this season.

Changing an Industry

It is moments like this that remind us of the power of early adopters. If it wasn’t for the courage and trust shown by Murray and a small group of other pioneering growers three years ago, precision agriculture and variable rate technology would most likely still be non-existent in the New Zealand kiwifruit industry today.

Murray’s willingness to look past the present and venture into the unknown has not only transformed his own orchard, but helped prove what is possible when detailed data meets practical, targeted management.

At ReviveAg, we are incredibly grateful to growers like Murray who had the vision to back a new approach. Their support has helped turn our dreams into reality and is now helping reshape how kiwifruit is grown across New Zealand.

Precision agriculture is no longer a futuristic concept, it is delivering real, measurable results: healthier soils, stronger canopies, and dramatically higher production, even in challenging environments.

We’d love to talk with progressive kiwifruit growers who want to move beyond traditional methods and discover what’s truly possible with precision tools.