Top fruit growers have attended a working demonstration of orchard spraying technology in County Armagh, as the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs promotes support for innovation in production horticulture.
The demonstration incorporated a drone and a remote-controlled ground sprayer. According to DAERA, the spray application technique can help avoid soil compaction, particularly during periods of high rainfall, while providing strong tree canopy coverage and reducing labour requirements.
The department said developing and introducing new ideas can be challenging for businesses. Through the Innovation Driver and Support Scheme, which is part of the Horticulture Pilot Scheme, production horticulture businesses are being invited to consider measures that could improve production efficiencies.
DAERA said the scheme is intended to help businesses explore opportunities to strengthen resilience and support the long-term sustainable growth of the sector. It forms part of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme, a wider package of measures aimed at supporting a thriving and resilient agri-food industry.
Kieran Lavelle, Senior Adviser at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, said the pilot offers financial support to production horticultural businesses introducing technologies, systems and crops not previously used in Northern Ireland. He described the orchard spraying demonstration as one example of the kind of innovation the scheme is designed to encourage.
Businesses are being encouraged to complete an expression of interest setting out how their proposal represents a new crop, technology or system for Northern Ireland, and how it could contribute to future growth and development. The expression of interest phase is open until Friday 4 September 2026, with a full application process to follow in the autumn.
Applications will be assessed against selection criteria, with proposals judged on their potential impact. Funding will be limited to one successful application per business, and multiple applications for the same crop, technology or system will not be supported. An online information event for growers is due to take place on Thursday 20 August at 7pm.