Produce World Seeks Broccoli Perfection With New Role
Produce World Group, the UK’s largest grower and supplier of fresh vegetables, is on the look-out for a person that can help to nurture the perfect crop of broccoli through an innovative research project looking to grow more vegetables more efficiently. The role is part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership project in collaboration with Cranfield University that aims to develop a forecasting model for broccoli to better match supply of the crop with customer demand, improve the consistency of supply of the product for the supermarkets and improve harvesting efficiencies of broccoli in the growing fields.
More accurate forecasting holds huge opportunity for broccoli cropping, with timing of the harvest and weather conditions being vital in producing a crop that matches the demands of the market, while also minimising waste on the fields. The model aims to help produce the optimum broccoli crop through informed planning and adaption to these variations.
Broccoli has experienced a surge in popularity in the past year, with an overall volume growth of 13.9% in 2014. Therefore it is important for the supply chain to have the growing cycles closely matched with consumer demand.
Andrew Burgess, Produce World Group’s agricultural director says: “Broccoli continues to grow in popularity and has become Britain’s favourite green vegetable due to its convenience and relevance as part of modern meals. However, it can be a difficult crop to grow due to its reliance on specific timings for harvest and the right weather conditions. This is why we’re involved in this innovative project to ensure that broccoli is grown as efficiently as possible and that the high consumer demand can be matched by the quality and quantity of the crop.”
The job will be based near Boston, Lincolnshire, with the chosen candidate working as part of the three year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) collaborative project between Cranfield University and Produce World Group.
Requirements for the role lend itself perfectly to a unique candidate that has a background in science, environment, food or farming, as well as having knowledge of spatial data and agri-informatics.
More information is available at https://jobs.cranfield.ac.uk/wd/plsql/wd_portal.show_job?p_web_site_id=4009&p_web_page_id=206579.
