Winning with BigBucks Gala: Laastedrift shares its recipe for success
For Laastedrift Agri’s Daniël Cillie, growing a successful BigBucks Gala crop comes down to getting the fundamentals right: choosing the right planting material, managing the tree carefully, and, above all, making sure there is enough light in the canopy.
The approach is paying off. Their farm, Uitkoms, is the current holder of the Buks Nel floating trophy, awarded by Ceres Fruit Growers for the best performance with BigBucks Gala.
“We are doing something right, but we are also still learning,” says Cillie.
Laastedrift Agri first planted a commercial trial block of BigBucks Gala in 2015, in collaboration with Buks Nel. The results gave the Cillie family enough confidence in the cultivar to expand, and from 2020 they planted BigBucks Gala more aggressively. They currently have 35 hectares of BigBucks Gala orchards, and the variety is an important part of the farm’s Gala programme.
Cillie reckons the “sweet spot” is when their BigBucks Gala orchards produce an average of 80 to 90 tonnes per hectare.
“We focus firmly on quality rather than simply pushing yields higher.”
They farm at between 900 and 1,200 metres above sea level, with an average of around 1,500 chill units, the farm is considerably cooler than many other production areas in Ceres. Its location is advantageous for colour development – an important characteristic of Flash Gala, the brand used for BigBucks Gala apples that meet strict quality parameters.
“We target Flash Gala pack-outs of at least 85%, but preferably 90% or more. In good years, we achieve even higher results.”
Light is key
According to Cillie, successful Flash Gala production starts in the orchard.
“You have to manage the tree carefully at pruning time to make sure there is enough light inside the canopy.”
Keeping the crop load under control is equally important. Overloading the trees may push production higher in a particular season, but can result in alternate bearing and compromise fruit quality.
Laastedrift uses a combination of pruning, thinning and growth-management tools to control vigour, improve light penetration, extend the picking window and help even out maturity.
The result is a concentrated first pick. In the past three seasons, the farm has been able to remove the entire crop in a single pick.
“However, you have to find the fine line between picking once and risking losing money because some apples end up in a juice bin, or rather spending the time and money on a second pick to ensure you send quality fruit to the packhouse,” says Cillie.
The farm grows BigBucks Gala on both M7 and MM109 rootstocks, with rootstock selection based on soil type and site conditions.
For growers considering planting BigBucks Gala, Cillie’s advice is to start with the fundamentals.
“Make sure you have the right planting material. If you don’t have the right material, you can set yourself back by a year or two. Choose the right rootstock for your soil and your area, and make sure the cultivar fits into your picking programme so that you can manage your peaks.”
A variety with a future
BigBucks Gala has become an important part of Laastedrift’s Gala programme, and Cillie expects it to remain so.
As the farm planted BigBucks Gala on a large scale over the past six years, it is now gradually entering a consolidation and replacement cycle. However, opportunities to expand within its existing picking window will be considered.
“Gala is one of our most profitable cultivars, and BigBucks Gala plays an important role because it gives us fruit for a range of markets.”
There is also a sense of pride in growing a South African-developed cultivar that performs well in local conditions.
“BigBucks Gala gives growers confidence, and for us there is a bit of pride in the fact that it is a South African product. It works for us and gives us an advantage. We should protect the cultivar and continue to plant it where it performs well.”
For Cillie, the most rewarding part is perhaps the simplest.
“There are few things as beautiful as a picking bin full of well-coloured Flash Gala apples. It is a sea of red.”
For more information, please contact Lucille Botha at lucilleb@tru-cape.co.za or visit www.tru-cape.com. Follow Tru-Cape on X (@TruCapeFruit), Facebook (@Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing), TikTok (@trucape), and Instagram (@trucapefruit).
ENDS
Caption:
Daniël Cillie from Laastedrift Agri in one of their BigBucks Gala orchards. The farm prioritises quality over quantity and reckons the sweet spot is a yield of 80 to 90 tonnes of BigBucks Gala apples per hectare, with 85–90% of the crop meeting Flash Gala standards.
