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March/April
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| YOUNG GROWER PROFILE |
HOW DID YOU FIRST BECOME INVOLVED IN THE
VEGETABLE INDUSTRY?
I decided to study agronomy, mainly because I always pictured
myself working outdoors and around nature. My mother had a big
influence on me – she always shared her stories about growing
up on a farm. We as a family always lived in the city, but she made
sure every year for the family veggie garden we chose a vegetable
to grow and look after.
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN THE BUSINESS?
I am the Technical Manager and Agronomist. As the Technical
Manager, I’m responsible for technical compliance and quality
assurance by achieving optimal food safety and customer
compliance under the various standards within the Australian
fresh produce industry. I also review and maintain the Food
Safety and Quality Control systems.
My role as an Agronomist is to provide agronomy and technical
support to production by working constantly in production
planning, variety selection, update of agrochemical programs and
advising on crop management and Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) programs for hydroponics crops.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT WORKING IN THE
VEGETABLE INDUSTRY, AND HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN
YOUR ENTHUSIASM?
I like that our production cycles are shorter, so it’s always busy.
There’s always a new crop being sown in the ground, another
germinating, emerging, reaching maturity, in harvest, etc.
markets they can sustain their farms, which is quite impressive.
In Argentina, greenhouse growers around La Plata (Buenos Aires)
are using many cultural practices and a reduced amount of spraying
– they have taken IPM to the next level. The reason behind this is that
many pests have become resistant due to many years of over spraying
and bad practices. It’s a good lesson to learn, because in the long run
it pays off to be more sustainable.
In Chile, they maximise their water use efficiency by cropping
most of their vegetables with drip lines and, whenever possible, in
combination with mulched beds. It’s something that I think should be
the standard practice anywhere where water is in limited supply.
WHAT AREAS OF RESEARCH ARE IMPORTANT TO THE
VEGETABLE INDUSTRY AND YOUR BUSINESS?
I personally feel we need to re-educate consumers in relation to
what makes a vegetable marketable. Growers put a lot of hard
work into growing, but sometimes the weather is not on your side
and the amount of produce wasted in farms because of unrealistic
customer specifications is quite considerable. My philosophy is:
“A few holes or marks won’t take the good out of the veggies.”
WHERE DO YOU SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH IN
THE AUSTRALIAN VEGETABLE INDUSTRY?
It is always interesting to find new crops for a demanding market;
finding the dream “niche market” as they say. I believe there are
opportunities for native edible plants to break through the market
as they have adapted much better to the local climate and they
add a sense of belonging to the land as well. Now this might have
sounded a little bit hipster, but I live in Melbourne.
AS A VEGETABLE GROWER, WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST
ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR?
Being able to grow vegetables in different parts of the world like
Chile, New Zealand, Germany and Australia.
From my experience in Australia, I will have to mention our
hydroponic project that started in June 2015 with one greenhouse
at Butler Market Gardens under a Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
system. We grew a wide range of herbs which allowed us to
experiment with different varieties, the setup, and the nutrient
solution, as well as become familiar with the different pests and
You get to see all the growing stages in a day if you wish.
New technologies and more sustainable ways to grow our
produce keeps me excited. There’s always something to
learn either by a mistake that you wish you didn’t do or by
reading a new paper online or travelling around the world
to see what’s out there that you haven’t considered yet.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU FACE
WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY?
At the beginning, because you looked young it felt like you
needed to prove constantly that you knew one or two things
about farming. Experienced growers have a vast knowledge so
it’s understandable to second guess the younger generation,
but I feel through hard work and by being responsible and
passionate, your voice gets louder and we are able to coexist
and cooperate successfully.
WHERE DO YOU RECEIVE YOUR ON-FARM PRACTICE
ADVICE AND INFORMATION FROM?
I studied agronomy at Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaiso
in Chile and that gave me a good strong base of knowledge. I
graduated nine years ago and the experience of working always
in the vegetable industry has helped me a lot. I’m honest when I
say I’m a frequent user of AUSVEG website resources, along with
other universities and research institutions.
YOU TRAVELLED TO SOUTH AMERICA AS PART OF THE
2016 YOUNG GROWER INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AND
DEVELOPMENT MISSION. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM
THIS EXPERIENCE?
There are so many things that stick with you when you travel, like new
friends, graphic memories and cultural exchanges. From Brazil, I was
amazed to see very small growers (less than five hectares) covering a
high percentage of the vegetable market industry (in Sao Paulo they
represent 80 per cent of the market) and through specialty and niche
diseases. After a couple of months, we had it successfully running
under an IPM program where the main pest control is made by
releasing biological controllers and commercially producing
basil, watercress and mint. This autumn, the second and third
operational greenhouse will be producing a wider range of herbs.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS?
Hopefully here in Australia and working in the vegetable industry.
I’m attracted to new challenges and learning from new crops so,
more than spatially, I’d like to see myself in a place where I feel
my knowledge about farming has been extended and I’m more
connected to integrated farming and sustainable development.
As an agronomist, you never stop learning.
WHAT IS YOUR VISION OF THE AUSTRALIAN VEGETABLE
INDUSTRY IN THE FUTURE?
I can see Australia getting bigger in sustainability. There are many
studies about reduced tillage or no tillage, permanent beds, cover
crops, beneficial insects, etc. While in Australia, I’ve been able to
attend field days and see the benefits from those practices which
influence the way in which you grow your crops.
HOW CAN MORE YOUNG PEOPLE BE ENCOURAGED
TO TAKE UP JOBS IN THE VEGETABLE INDUSTRY?
Last year, I participated in the Urban Agricultural Forum in Victoria
and I was able to meet a lot of young people interested in farming
all across the country. I think we are seeing a current trend in people
wanting to engage more with vegetable gardening or knowing how
their food is being farmed. We should promote their voice and let
the young farmers share their stories. I think it works by diversifying
the messenger and how the message is presented to young people.
The 2016 Young Grower Industry Leadership and Development Mission
was funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research
and development National Vegetable Levy, contributions from Australian
vegetable growing businesses and funds from the Australian Government.
Project Number: VG15703
INFO
A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON VEG PRODUCTION
NAME:
Andres Cruz
AGE:
35
LOCATION:
Heatherton, Victoria
WORKS:
Butler Market Gardens
GROWS:
Herbs, spring onions, leeks, Asian
vegetables, oak lettuces and rhubarb
Photography by Luka Kauzlaric.
R&D