Business Development Manager at InteliGro (2024-04 – Present)
Specializing in Citrus production and agricultural solutions.
Agricultural Manager at Verdant Citrus Limpopo (2024-04 – 2026-04)
Working on the farm since December 2017. Role changed from Head of Production to Agricultural Manager following acquisition by Verdant Orchard.
- Responsible for the Integrated Pest Management program
- Interpretation of soil and leaf samples to write the nutrition program. Application of both foliar and ground fertilizers
- Ordering chemicals, fertilizer, nozzles for spray machines, irrigation and pruning equipment
- Stock control of Chemicals, Fertilizers and irrigation fittings, pipes etc.
- Budget forecast and feedback for Chemical and fertilizer usage for the season
- Allocating all chemical, fertilizer and irrigation related invoices
- Orchard registration and verification with DALRRD
- Phytclean registration, management of FMS and fruit infestation for export to European Markets
- Organizing orchard inspections
- Planning and instructing daily tasks for all drivers, scouts, pruners, sanitation, irrigation and general workers. Ensuring all disciplinary procedures and protocols are followed and meet the standards of the Department of Labor. Managing a total of 750+ workforce in season
- Bush clearing, soil preparation, soil corrections, irrigation development and planting of new trees
- Evaluating the crop and crop estimates
- Overseeing the harvest process and picking personnel
- Monitoring fruit sizing and internal quality throughout the season to ensure the right orchards are being harvested, and giving accurate data to the marketing team
- Planning of pruning strategies and management of personnel
- Planning and evaluating the irrigation schedule with strategic monitoring
- Making sure all pump stations and pipelines allocate water to meet the irrigation schedule demand and ensure optimal usage of irrigation water
- Strategic placement of floats in the river to ensure quality irrigation water supply
- Making sure the right fruit get exported to the right markets by understanding global market demand
- Estimate the minimum price for exporting fruit to ensure maximum profitability
- Allocation of capex for new projects and machinery
- Oversee planning, coordination and performance of the Citrus packhouse
- Monitor fruit quality from orchard to final packed product to meet export standards
- Coordinate the Packhouse intake capacity with volumes harvested to ensure maximum efficiency
- Liaise with our group marketing team, Kingfisher Fruits (KFF) regarding packing programmes, orders, expected volumes and delivery requirements with weekly marketing meetings to understand global markets and demand in an ever-changing environment
- Implement a system of quality control, grading standards and traceability procedures
- Liaise with packhouse manager to ensure effective control and management of consumables (e.g. packing material, labels, chemicals and other operational supplies)
- Ensure compliance with food safety standards, hygiene regulations and all other audit requirements
- Coordinate maintenance planning to ensure minimum breakdowns
- Analyse packhouse reports to assist with production related decisions and improvements
- Support continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, good fruit quality while optimizing the production
Head of Production at Noordgrens Landgoed (2017-12 – 2024-04)
Managed farm consisting of 810ha Citrus of which 580ha are bearing trees and 230ha are non-bearing. Varieties included Lemons, Star Ruby, Valencia late, Midknights, Deltas, Limpopo seedless, Weipe seedless, Turkeys, Gusacora, Benny Valencia, and variety of soft citrus on trial, Jassie.
- Responsible for the Integrated Pest Management program
- Planning and application of both foliar and ground fertilizers
- Ordering of chemicals, fertilizer, nozzles for spray machines, irrigation and pruning equipment
- Stock control of Chemicals, Fertilizers and irrigation fittings, pipes ect.
- Budget forecast and feedback for Chemical and fertilizer usage for the season
- Allocating all chemical, fertilizer and irrigation related invoices
- Orchard registration and verification with DALRRD
- Phytclean registration, management of FMS and fruit infestation for export to European Markets
- Organizing orchard inspections
- Planning and instructing daily tasks for all drivers, scouts, pruners, sanitation, irrigation and general workers. Ensuring all disciplinary procedures and protocols are followed and meet the standards of the Department of Labour
- Bush clearing, soil preparation, irrigation development and planting of new trees
- Evaluating the crop and crop estimates
- Overseeing the harvest process and picking personnel
- Monitoring fruit sizing and internal quality throughout the season to ensure the right orchards are being harvested
- Planning of pruning strategies and management of personnel
- Planning and evaluating the irrigation schedule
- Making sure all pump stations and pipelines allocate water to meet the irrigation schedule demand
- Strategic placement of floats in the river to ensure quality irrigation water supply
Junior Farm Manager at Bonaire Farming Operations (2016-01 – 2017-12)
Worked on a 690ha citrus farm of which 240 hectares were under direct management. Varieties managed included Lemons (Eureka), Roses (Grapefruit), Navels, Deltas, Midknights, and Valencias. Other farm varieties included Star Ruby, Marsh, Bennie Valencia, Turkeys, Minneolas, and Du Roi Valencias.
- Management of permanent employees on production unit
- Management of pickers
- Management of pruners
- Allocation of drivers on the farm (tractors, trucks and forklifts)
- Maintenance of 17 boreholes
- Irrigation program and scheduling of all orchards on 240ha unit
- Management of the dam and allocation of water for irrigation
- Monitoring of water quality
- Installation of new pipelines and maintenance of existing lines
- Organising transport of fruit from the farm to pack house
- Ordering of bins for harvest
- Ordering of any equipment needed on the farm
- Setting the crop
- Doing crop estimates
- Harvesting of fruit
