Farming enterprises across Australia are embracing digital technologies to improve productivity and profitability. With greater connectivity and improved mobile devices and software, digital capture and management of data is now widespread on Australian farms.

Nowhere is this more pronounced than in horticulture, where produce is of high value and operations are labour-intensive. This is particularly so in fruit production where small improvements in management can produce large benefits.

“Not all digital platforms can provide growers with a complete management solution,” says Roei Yaakobi – CEO of agricultural technology firm Tie Up Farming. “What makes Tie Up Farming different is that it offers growers and end-to-end total solution for managing their farms.”

Tie Up Farming is a cloud-based technology that enables growers to visually track all activities on the farm – from production to the packhouse – and beyond. It is designed to capture data in the field, in real time, rather than staff having to manually enter data into spreadsheets and other formats later on.

The platform already has application in both tropical and temperate crops with widespread adoption already in apple, stone fruit, citrus, avocado and mango enterprises.

“Our expertise is in horticulture, particularly tree crops,” Mr Yaakobi said. “We integrate this horticultural knowledge with our technology to deliver solutions for growers.

“Growers can manage multiple tasks with the software, such as maintaining spray diaries, logging fertiliser applications, managing machinery, managing the harvest and monitoring pruning and thinning, for example.

“Tie Up Farming is well-suited for managing labour issues, particularly those associated with picking fruit. The software can assimilate information from barcodes or RFID (radio frequency identification) tags to ensure traceability, check that staff are performing and being remunerated correctly, and that payrolls and costs can be correctly monitored or managed.”

Due to its ease of use, Mr Yaakobi said Tie Up Farming was equally suited to large intensive horticulture operations, right through to small farms. The dashboard interface of Tie Up Farming is clear and logical, meaning operators are naturally encouraged to use it, and errors are kept to a minimum. The software solution has unique user flexibility and can be tailored to each individual farm to provide the best user experience.

“We are continually investing in our software, not only to improve its functionality, but also its user friendliness and utility for growers,” Mr Yaakobi said. “Our staff work closely with our customers, listening to what the growers want, so they can achieve the best result for their farming operation.

“We form relationships with our customers. Not only do we have developers who work on the software and the app, but we also employ agronomists. These agronomists work with our customers to develop an understanding of their businesses and the needs of the growers that we are working with.”

Tie Up Farming also offer assistance to users on a 24/7 basis – recognising that fruit growing enterprises can often be operating on a continual basis during the peak of the season.

Tie Up Farming software enables continual monitoring and tracking of costs, inputs, processes and production, and essentially embeds itself into the grower’s business.

“Because it covers so many enterprise facets, and is so easy to use, Tie Up Farming will enable growers to continually measure and improve their performance, productivity and profits,” Mr Yaakobi said.