Commercial horticulturist : Job description

Commercial horticulturists are involved in the growing, distributing and selling of food crops and plants.

Commercial growers may specialise in field crops, protected growing (for example, under glass), soft and top fruit, hardy nursery stock and cut flowers. Clients include plant and tree nurseries, supermarkets and DIY stores.

The work is increasingly complex, requiring managerial, business and IT competence, alongside scientific understanding and the traditional skills of cultivation. Ultimately, the role involves the management of horticultural enterprises and this is reflected in the variety of job titles, e.g. crop manager, production manager and propagation manager.

Typical work activities

Initially, graduates will be more concerned with hands-on cultivation but, with experience, they will supervise teams of others at all stages of growing, harvesting, packing, distribution and selling.

Produce is sold to the food processing industry; plants to major retailers, wholesalers and the garden trade, all of whom demand increasingly high standards of quality. In addition, the traceability of crops from seed to customer is of prime importance to the food industry.

Typical work activities may include:

• supervising and assisting in all stages of crop production and harvesting;
• managing pest, disease and weed control programmes, commensurate with hygiene and health standards;
• marketing and selling produce, depending on crop, season and market demand;
• analysing yields, operational costs and financial returns of horticultural operations;
• identifying technical and business problems, investigating the causes and formulating solutions;
• planning and organising trials to assess their effectiveness;
• preparing new or modified operational and business plans;
• developing new products and markets and negotiating with suppliers and buyers;
• managing produce supply chain systems and the supporting infrastructure for processing, storage and transport of produce;
• organising presentations, technical visits and demonstrations;
• ensuring that UK, European Community and international quality, hygiene, health and safety and employment standards and regulations are met;
• communicating effectively with customers, working colleagues and professional groups, both orally and in writing, through briefings, reports and presentations;
• training and instructing others and helping them to develop their professional skills and experience;
• performing essential administration, including records, budgets and accounts;
• keeping up to date in your specialist area and in developments in the whole horticultural sector;
• at management level, the work involves meeting agreed deadlines and operating within agreed budgets, so a high level of competence in project management is required.