Utilization of agricultural mechanization in fruit production on family farms

In fruit production of family farms in Croatia there is obvious low level of utilisation and high operating costs of agricultural mechanization. An average size of new orchards in our farms is 1-1,5 ha, and for contemporary fruit production, costs of purchasing basic mechanization are at average level of 3-4 annual profits in apple and pear production, or 5-6 annual profits in plum and sour cherry production, on 2 hectares of production area. The greatest part of mechanization costs in fruit production refers to a tractor, which is in overall farm business used at average for less than 250 hours annually. Considering relatively small average size of home orchards, one of solutions for increasing utilisation level and decreasing operating costs of machinery could be joint mechanization use of great member of fruit producer with different ways of partnerships.