Oliver Agro has been designing and manufacturing machinery for fruit tree nurseries for over 25 years
The machines developed were born out of a thorough study and consultation regarding the needs of nursery growers directly at their facilities, careful research on materials, and performance projections. The proposed range consists of transplanters for rootstocks or vine-cuttings up to a maximum height of 45-50 cm with bare roots, in vitro plants with small cubes, grapevines, production plants over one meter in height, a weeding machine for organic nurseries, a self-propelled tool carrier for various treatments, and the latest additions, the plant sidedigger SP 96 or SP2000 or the machine for cutting rootstocks TXC from the stock.
The structure of the machines was chosen based on the stresses and overloads that fieldwork in nurseries can exert on the machines themselves, productivity, and the safety of the operators. Effort was also considered based on the different types of soil found in different situations and the seasonality.
As a result, highly professional machines with robust structures were designed and built, without adapting to the mostly horticultural machinery already present on the market.
For nursery growers, the first thing to consider is the possibility of finding or having settlements with land structures suitable for nursery cultivation. Sandy soil is well-suited for various work phases, especially transplanting and plant excavation.
*The main issue encountered by customers is the choice and subsequent preparation of the land.
The more prepared and worked the soil is at the appropriate depth, with the suitable machinery, the better the transplanting and excavation phases improve.
Before transplanting, a well-prepared soil at the right depth facilitates the opening of the furrow by our SUPER DRIVE planter, the upright positioning of the plant, and its hilling. The soil preparation phase is essential to avoid the need to add personnel to straighten the plants when using the machine. To prevent this, Oliver Agro has developed some accessories. The first accessory adjusts the speed of the motorized compaction wheels relative to the tractor’s advancement, allowing the plants to be straightened without additional personnel behind the machine. The second accessory facilitates hilling the plant to the desired height and shape.
The importance of the Rotosark row crop cultivator should not be underestimated. It keeps the soil aerated up to 1-2 cm from the transplanting row, preserving the root system of the plants (as well as preventing suffocation or mortality) and preventing weeds that could hinder and slow down the excavation phase, and certainly cause damage to the plant’s stem or roots.
Unlike the competition, the SP seedlings uprooting machine md. TXC , plant harvester mod. 96 -2000 – are independent machines that do not require special attachment to the tractor but can simply be attached to the third-point hitch. They have a system with a directional knife that always stays in line with the tractor and a platform at the back capable of stacking plants on pallets of various sizes.
The productivity of the plant harvester machine can decrease by up to 15% depending on the type of soil and its moisture content. In any case, the ability to work with the undercutting ploughs depends on the power of the tractor. If the soil is too wet, the tractor will not be able to control the machine properly.
However, in this particular time that we are facing a shortage of manpower, nursery companies are investing their efforts in reorganizing their staff management to address the issue. . It will be necessary to study new work methods, implement and accelerate automated and safe systems to ensure the financial and economic sustainability of the company as well as a peaceful working environment.
Oliver Agro always pays attention to the needs of its customers and has a team of design technicians capable of meeting current market demands and studying new automated systems. Assistance is provided through timely on-site visits and remote support, using augmented reality when it is not possible to be present on-site.
OLIVER AGRO tackles new challenges by adapting its knowledge to the new needs and market demands, ready for a fresh start.
Frequently Asked Questions: Oliver Agro Machinery for Fruit Tree Nurseries
How many plants per day can the Oliver Agro transplanter handle?
The Oliver Agro transplanters for rootstocks and bare-root cuttings can reach up to 15,000 plants per day under optimal conditions. Productivity depends on plant type, row length, operator experience and soil conditions.
What makes the Oliver Agro Plant Harvesters different from competitors?
Unlike competitors, the Oliver Agro SP Plant Harvesters are independent machines — they simply attach to the tractor’s third-point hitch without special anchoring. They feature a directional knife that stays continuously aligned with the tractor and a rear platform for stacking plants on pallets of various sizes. Productivity can vary by up to 15% depending on soil type and moisture.
Is the Rotosark suitable for organic fruit tree nurseries?
Yes — the Rotosark is the specific inter-row weeder for organic fruit tree nurseries: it keeps the soil aerated up to 1–2 cm from the transplanting row, preserves plant root systems and keeps the ground free from weeds that could hinder excavation and damage stems or roots.
Does Oliver Agro produce machinery for tall nursery plants over one metre?
Yes. The range includes transplanters for production plants taller than one metre (SD PA Transplanter), as well as for rootstocks, cuttings, in-vitro plants and bare-root cuttings. Oliver Agro has the most complete and vertical range for fruit tree nurseries in Europe.
How long has Oliver Agro been making fruit tree nursery machinery?
Oliver Agro has been designing and manufacturing machinery for fruit tree nurseries for over 40 years, based in Salizzole (Verona), Italy. Machines are developed through direct collaboration with nurserymen on site — not from a theoretical approach — and are present in over 15 countries worldwide.
Discover the complete Oliver Agro range for fruit tree nurseries: contact us for a personalised consultation on the right machine for your nursery operation.