SUMMARY:
Nelspruit Area, Mpumalanga Province – South Africa: The successful candidate will manage crop performance, production planning, people and daily operations, with a strong focus on yield, quality and cost control.
POSITION INFO:
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS A relevant qualification in horticulture, agriculture or crop production would be advantageous; strong practical experience will also be considered. Experience with soilless production. Good planning, recordkeeping and computer skills. A proven track record in commercial greenhouse production of cucumbers and\/or tomatoes, with experience in both crops a strong advantage. Ideally, at least five years of relevant growing experience, including responsibility for a production team. Strong practical knowledge of irrigation, fertigation, crop nutrition, greenhouse climate management and pest and disease control. Experience managing intensive production against yield, quality, labour and cost targets. A valid driver's licence and willingness to respond to crop and operational needs outside normal working hours. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO Take full responsibility for greenhouse production, from crop establishment through to harvesting and crop removal. Develop and implement planting and production plans to meet agreed volume and quality requirements. Manage irrigation and fertigation, including water quality, nutrient programmes, EC, pH and drainage monitoring. Monitor greenhouse conditions and manage climate controls and ventilation according to crop requirements and available infrastructure. Oversee crop work, including training, pruning, lowering, leaf removal and fruit-load management. Implement pest and disease monitoring, integrated pest management and effective crop protection programmes. Ensure responsible chemical use, accurate spray records and compliance with withholding periods and customer residue requirements. Plan and supervise harvesting to achieve the required maturity, quality and shelf life. Recruit, train and manage production staff, allocate daily tasks and monitor labour productivity. Monitor yields, packout, crop losses, input usage and production costs, and take corrective action where performance falls below target. Maintain accurate crop records and provide regular production forecasts and performance reports. Coordinate with the packhouse and commercial team on expected volumes, quality and harvesting schedules. Ensure irrigation, fertigation and greenhouse equipment are maintained and faults are addressed promptly. Maintain hygiene, biosecurity, food safety and health and safety standards across the unit. ONLY short-listed candidates will be contacted
