Fruit Grower Course

A fruit grower selects fruit varieties for cultivation, develops agricultural sites and creates a sales and distribution network to obtain fruit for consumers. Some fruit growers work as independent farmers, while others are large companies that may own or control major orchards. Growers could partner with can factories and other facilities to have an outlet for their produce and sell directly to consumers in some regions. On a new farm, the fruit grower must select the appropriate stocks taking into account the climate and market needs. Fruit growers can also graft their trees to size and some are dedicated to fruit breeding to develop new cultivars. This can be profitable, because a successfully bred fruit tree might be salable to other growers. On an established farm, the job includes maintaining existing trees and making necessary modifications, such as plucking non-productive trees or replacing unfashionable fruit with more marketable products. The daily work of a fruit grower can include inspecting fields, signing crop contracts, hiring employees, and developing marketing and expansion plans. Some growers do not engage in marketing and will just bargain to sell their crops to wholesalers, cannons and other farms. Others may work directly with grocery stores or they may plan to sell fruit at farmers' markets and farm stands. in which case they need marketing plans and customer service skills. This work may also include finding licenses and permits to sell directly to the public, as well as training employees in food safety and customer service so they can represent the farm.