Telehandler helps almond grower reach for number one

Select Harvests, based in Victoria's Robinvale, is the second largest producer of almonds in the world - though not for long, because this thriving business is set to take over the number one position soon. Along with careful planning, an entrepreneurial outlook and the good fortune to be in a great growing location, Select Harvests relies on the right equipment to keep business moving forward, especially their 21 New Holland telehandlers. Manager, Tim Millen, says the telehandlers, supplied by GBC Motors in Mildura, simply make the job of growing almonds easier. "They're used all year round for all kinds of lifting tasks and pushing soil and that kind of thing.

They have the strength and power to make handling goods much easier. We've been using telehandlers since they arrived on the market and they're amazing. "Before the telehandlers we were using tractors and forklifts but they were nowhere near as diverse. The New Holland telehandlers are comfortable, have good visibility and good mobility. We have lots of different operators and they love them because they're reliable and simple, and they have good ground speed which is vital to us."

Select Harvests has been established for 30 years but it has been in the past decade that they have really expanded their operations. Over that time they have gone from 2,000 acres of almonds to 26,000 acres, and there are plans to increase that by a further 12,000 over the next few months.

The business employs around 270 staff during its five-week harvest period, and around 200 for the remainder of the year. "We're forecasting a yield of 12,000 tonnes of kernel this year. That's up 6,000 tonnes and will be a record crop," Tim says. "We sell into both the domestic and export market." He says the business has gone from strength to strength largely because almonds are such a good crop. "It's just about the fundamentals of almond farming.

Everything works. It's a real horticultural crop and it's worth millions. "We have the right weather and the right water resources and simply, we can grow it. It's a great crop." Tim says the New Holland telehandlers work hard all year round and are really put through their paces at harvest time, but GBC Motors has helped keep them all running smoothly. "We went with New Holland because of the excellent service from our local dealer. There are good people behind the product and they're happy to take on a challenge. They do pretty much everything on site with mobile service and they have trucks that can collect any gear that needs to go to the workshop."