Anova chainsaw for pruning avocados: €316 that pays for itself
A Valencian farmer prunes 400 avocado trees with a €316 Anova chainsaw. He compares it with a cheaper SEEII and analyses avocado profitability.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Anova for pruning avocados: is the €316 investment worth it?
Can a €316 chainsaw prune 400 avocado trees without breaking a sweat? According to the experience of a farmer in Valencia, the answer is yes, but with caveats. The purchase, after deducting VAT, came to €316: a mini saw and a pair of pole pruners from the semi-professional brand Anova. Avocado wood is soft, so the tools don't strain, but the height of the trees – many exceed five metres – makes the job harder.
Field experience: Anova vs SEEII
After pruning nearly 400 trees, the result is positive. The pruners open to 45 mm, although they recommend cutting no more than 30 mm; the mini chainsaw cuts branches over 100 mm without a problem. But the surprising figure is the comparison with a cheaper alternative: the SEEII, which costs half as much and has a pole one metre longer. The Anova falls short on the highest branches, while the SEEII reaches better. The decision to buy Anova was based on its supposedly greater availability of spare parts, but the cheap competitor has performed just as well.
The avocado business versus kiwi
Behind the tool there is a business. The farmer has family land that used to grow citrus and persimmons, and has now turned to avocados. With more than 6,000 kg per hectare, the crop is profitable, but it is technical and involves high costs. This year he expects between 8,000 and 10,000 kg, and the price of Lamb Hass is around €2 per kilo. Meanwhile, green kiwi – which needs 600-800 chill hours – no longer grows well in Valencia: warm, humid springs cause decline syndrome, known in Italy as "moria". The farmer is torn between pulling out the kiwis and planting more avocados, but soil disinfection is a problem.
The debate over permaculture and pesticides also comes up. Consumers demand outward perfection in fruit, which forces heavy use of chemicals; if there were no surplus production, insecticide use could be cut by 50%. Meanwhile, the farmer keeps looking for a tool that will last him two years. Permaculture, for now, remains on paper.
Can a €316 chainsaw prune 400 avocado trees without breaking a sweat? According to the experience of a farmer in Valencia, the answer is yes, but with caveats. The purchase, after deducting VAT, came to €316: a mini saw and a pair of pole pruners from the semi-professional brand Anova. Avocado wood is soft, so the tools don't strain, but the height of the trees – many exceed five metres – makes the job harder.
Field experience: Anova vs SEEII
After pruning nearly 400 trees, the result is positive. The pruners open to 45 mm, although they recommend cutting no more than 30 mm; the mini chainsaw cuts branches over 100 mm without a problem. But the surprising figure is the comparison with a cheaper alternative: the SEEII, which costs half as much and has a pole one metre longer. The Anova falls short on the highest branches, while the SEEII reaches better. The decision to buy Anova was based on its supposedly greater availability of spare parts, but the cheap competitor has performed just as well.
The avocado business versus kiwi
Behind the tool there is a business. The farmer has family land that used to grow citrus and persimmons, and has now turned to avocados. With more than 6,000 kg per hectare, the crop is profitable, but it is technical and involves high costs. This year he expects between 8,000 and 10,000 kg, and the price of Lamb Hass is around €2 per kilo. Meanwhile, green kiwi – which needs 600-800 chill hours – no longer grows well in Valencia: warm, humid springs cause decline syndrome, known in Italy as "moria". The farmer is torn between pulling out the kiwis and planting more avocados, but soil disinfection is a problem.
The debate over permaculture and pesticides also comes up. Consumers demand outward perfection in fruit, which forces heavy use of chemicals; if there were no surplus production, insecticide use could be cut by 50%. Meanwhile, the farmer keeps looking for a tool that will last him two years. Permaculture, for now, remains on paper.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (22 replies).
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