Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the implementation and monitoring of a horticultural crop harvesting program and defines the standard required to: organise resources for the harvest; establish strategies for pre-harvest and harvest; estimate crop quality and yield; evaluate harvest operations and outcomes; document a crop harvesting report.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to those who work in production horticultural enterprises either as employees or contractors who implement and monitor a horticultural crop harvesting program.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Plan for harvesting

1.1. Crop maturity and quality are assessed and recorded.

1.2. Optimum time to harvest crop is estimated according to crop maturity assessment and customer requirements.

1.3. Pre-harvest treatments for control and eradication of pests are determined and carried out according to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements.

1.4. Where applicable to enterprise's operations, requirements for licences or permits are identified and met.

1.5. Resource requirements are assessed, giving consideration to size of crop and estimated timing of harvest.

1.6. Labour and equipment required to carry out harvesting operations are confirmed and arranged within budgetary constraints.

1.7. Enterprise requirements for harvesting are identified and communicated to all harvest personnel.

1.8. Insurance requirements are assessed and risk management strategies planned and implemented.

1.9. Where applicable to enterprise's operations, requirements for fire prevention and control are identified and arranged according to OHS requirements.

2. Coordinate the harvest strategy

2.1. Effective communication strategies are implemented to ensure personnel safety and smooth flow of operations.

2.2. Harvesting operations are implemented and adjusted as required, according to factors such as market or customer requirements, weather, equipment and staff or contractor availability.

2.3. Equipment operation is coordinated for maximum efficiency and monitored for performance effectiveness.

2.4. Existing and potential hazards are identified and controlled according to OHS and enterprise requirements.

3. Complete harvest operation

3.1. Storage resources are located for efficient operations.

3.2. Strategies for drying crops are identified if necessary.

3.3. Work is monitored to ensure that crop is graded, packed and stored according to enterprise requirements.

3.4. Harvesting operations and outcomes, including resource allocation, are evaluated against harvest strategy.

3.5. Feedback on performance is provided to personnel under supervision.

3.6. Own performance is assessed, feedback on performance is sought and any required improvements are noted for future action.

3.7. Strategies identified, crop quality, pre-harvest treatments and outcomes of harvest are documented in a report for continual analysis and effective planning management.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• establishing strategies, procedures and controls for crop harvesting
• implement treatments for control and eradication of pests
• implementing safe workplace and positive environmental practices
• coordinate equipment
• work within budgetary constraints
• evaluate harvest operations and outcomes
• document a crop harvesting report
• use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legibly information collected and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data
• use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• crop measurement techniques and parameters
• customer requirements
• environmental controls and codes of practice applicable to harvesting operations
• functions and limitations of harvesting equipment
• market information and sources
• location and relative skills and abilities of available staff, contractors or casual staff
• relevant legislation and regulations relating to OHS, contractor engagement, chemical use and application, and vehicle and plant use
• required productivity rates
• weather or other conditions that may affect harvest
• where relevant to enterprise's production: food safety and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirements, and requirements for export markets, such as EUREPGAP, Codex Alimentarius and the Bioterrorism Act (US).

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• organise resources for the harvest
• establish strategies for pre-harvest and harvest
• estimate crop quality and yield
• evaluate harvest operations and outcomes
• document a crop harvesting report.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Horticultural crops may include:

• all fruit
• vegetables
• herbs
• flowers
• foliage
• bulbs
• tubers
• nuts
• fungi
• wild harvest plants
• oils
• olives
• grains
• seeds
• hops
• other specialised crops not specifically named as broad acre crops.

Harvesting programs may include:

• the correct use of equipment
• select picking
• reporting or recording tallies
• removing out-of-type plants
• removing rotten or immature fruit.

Unit sector 

Production horticulture

Co-requisite units 

Competency field