Research & Development Manager - Potato

Currently, we are looking for a Research and Development Manager - POTATO, for the world's largest manufacturer of frozen potato Products. {CANADIAN - MNC}

Role: Research and Development Manager - Potato

Location: Mehsana, Gujarat

Exp: 8+ years

Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

Knowledge Transfer:

- Gain a comprehensive understanding of Agribusiness operations and objectives, including supplier contracts and the impact of raw quality.

- Utilize various communication and demonstration methods to advise and train the regional supplier group.

- Assist growers in identifying opportunities to improve crop yield and delivered quality by developing an enhanced Package of Practices based on historical data.

- Support seed grower compliance with sustainability reporting through AgPortal, GMS, and other means, including pesticide records, fertilization records, and water usage. Maintain McCain GAP records.

Trials:

- Conduct variety evaluation trials for new variety establishment, address emerging seed issues, and find effective solutions.

- Engage with McCain growers and the regional agriculture community to conduct research. Identifying and cross-checking disease and pest issues with relevant literature and institutes.

- Provide guidance on achieving optimal plant health and productivity through best practices related to crop nutrients, crop protectants, and storage management techniques.

- Assist in developing regionalized variety management profiles for testing on a commercial scale.

- Conduct sustainability and survey audits and promote practices to enhance sustainability, such as IPM adoption.

- Support and promote Decision Support Systems for disease management in the absence of alternatives, including maintaining weather monitoring where public systems are unavailable.

Networking:

- Attend and actively participate in local and national agricultural production education meetings to stay informed about current agricultural practices.

- Engage in research and collaboration with public research institutions and private companies to explore and develop new technologies.

Collaboration:

- Gather knowledge from various sources, including institutions, senior management, McCain Ag Net, SAU, and practical insights from farmers, to train the contract farming team effectively.

- Promptly seek input from the contract farming team to understand challenges and design yield improvement trials for practical solutions.

- Address potato storage-related issues, comply with local regulations, and conduct chemical trials or -recommend best management practices to the supply team.

- Identify and diagnose storage-related diseases, conduct storage experiments using analytical experimental design, and propose appropriate solutions.

- Maintain a strong relationship with the operation team involved in processing potatoes to understand seed-related concerns.

- Provide efficient support to the supply chain team and contract farming team.