Better Outcomes, Not Lower Costs: rethinking agtech in horticulture, with Mark Trzaskoma

Episode notes

While agtech often celebrates breakthrough technologies that can slash costs for farmers, what if the real value of innovation lies somewhere else entirely? In this episode, Mark Trzaskoma joins Dr Madeline Mitchell to explore what agtech adoption actually looks like on the ground at Battunga Orchards, a 180-hectare orchard operating across three sites in Victoria. From mechanised harvest platforms to canopy redesign and data collection tools, each decision at Battunga is guided by a “test, measure, learn” approach, focused on yield, quality, and long-term performance rather than short-term efficiency gains. Mark also shares a cautionary insight: optimizing for cost can actually reduce productivity. His experience of hitting cost targets in pruning, only to see production decline, highlights a broader challenge in agriculture: efficiency is not the same as effectiveness. Mark and Maddie discuss: Why agtech often delivers value through better outcomes, not lower costs. Why cost-cutting can undermine productivity in biological systems. The realities of working with early-stage, evolving agtech products. Labor constraints and their role in driving automation in horticulture.

• Why soil health and profitability are deeply connected, with Nic Kentish67 / 100
• Can dairy’s waste stream power beef’s future? with Daniel Carson
• Business Model Breakdowns with Shane Thomas: The Monsanto Playbook
• Can biomaterials compete on price, not just purpose? with Tina Funder
• Business Model Breakdowns with Shane Thomas: Co-Ops and their future in Ag