Where Production Meets Post Harvest
Micro-credential
Contact us about professional development for your employees.
Apply for the Micro-credential Where Production Meets Post Harvest
Limited Spaces Available
(Scholarships available for targeted industry partners)
Why Where Production Meets Post Harvest?
This Micro-credential develops learners’ capability to analyse and optimise horticultural production and post-harvest systems from ‘paddock to plate’. Learners build the knowledge and practical skills required to evaluate how production practices, handling, storage, and distribution influence product quality, market performance, environmental outcomes, and social responsibility in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Course Schedule:
- Orientation: Tuesday 2 June 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Weekly Classes: Wednesdays, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM (from 3 June to 19 August 2026)
- Field Trip: 24 June 2026 (1 day)
The cost of this micro-credential in 2026 is $1,280 NZD including GST.
- Fees free to targeted industry partners
- Face-to-face or join online
- Under 3 months to receive your micro credential
- Tailored to your work
- 20 credits on the NZ Qualifications Framework at Level 6
Why This Course Could Change Your Career
- Understand fresh produce physiology
- Understand the impact of preharvest activities on postharvest performance
Meet Your
Course Tutors
Dave Tanner
Bachelor of Horticulture (Technology) with First Class Honours – Massey University
PhD in Food Engineering – Massey University
Dr David Tanner grew up in the kiwifruit industry and has dedicated his career to helping it thrive into the future. He has held senior science and innovation leadership roles across the agrifood sector, including eight years as General Manager Science and Innovation at Zespri, where he led research strategy and investment. He also played a key role in leading the science response to Psa. Today, David is Chair of the Kiwifruit Vine Health Board, a commercial orchard owner, and director of his own horticultural innovation company. He brings a strong mix of science expertise, governance experience, and hands-on growing knowledge.
Sandy Scarrow
Bachelor of Horticultural Science
Post Graduate Diploma in Horticulture, Business and Administration
Sandy was born into a horticultural family and made production horticulture her career when, after graduating with a Bachelor of Horticultural Science from Massey, she began working as a Horticultural Advisor with MAF 36 years ago. Over that time, Sandy has worked with growers and the wider industry to implement technological changes that have lifted production and improved other outputs.
Jordan Urwin
Bachelor of Science (Plant Biotechnology)
Jordan is still relatively new to the horticultural industry but brings a background in plant biotechnology, with experience in genetics, biochemistry, and plant-focused technology. He has been with Fruition for two years, contributing to a range of projects, including the adoption of new technology to improve the delivery of the technical services programme.
Become an Industry Partner
Contact us about professional development for your employees.
About the micro-credential
Where Production Meets Post Harvest
LO1: Research the systems used within a horticulture business to optimise post-harvest physiology in a horticultural business.
LO2: Analyse and evaluate a horticultural production system in terms of its influence on product quality from paddock to the plate.
LO3: Adapt horticultural production systems to optimise post-harvest physiology in a horticultural business.
LO4: Identify production systems issues within a horticultural workplace and propose solutions to improve operations
There will be 10 topics covered over twelve weeks, as well as a 1-day field trip.
Topic 1: The Influence of Preharvest Conditions on Post-Harvest Outcomes
- Understanding supply chains
- Growth and development of fruits and vegetables
- Key nutrients in product quality
- Growing conditions that influence product quality
- Maturation in fruit and vegetables
Topic 2: Basic Physiology of Produce
- Respiration
- Ethylene
- Water loss
- Case studies – Kiwifruit and Rockit apples
Topic 3: Preservation of Produce
- The importance of temperature
- Coolstorage
- Coolstore design
- Important elements of a coolchain
- Matauranga Māori and food storage
Topic 4: Research in Post-Harvest
- Steps of the scientific method
- Principles of experimental design
- Experimental design
- Student’s T-test
- ANNOVA
- Least significant difference test
Topic 5: Other Preservation Technologies
- What is quality?
- Maturity in produce
- Optimising harvest and packing
- Controlled-atmosphere storage
- Packaging
- Modified atmosphere storage
- 1-MCP
- Ozone
Topic 6: Food Safety
- What is food safety?
- The importance of post-harvest food safety
- The NZ food safety system
- Tools for food safety
- Non-compliance implications
- Post-harvest treatments for minimising contamination and maximising quality
- The conflict between food safety and product quality
- Consumer perceptions
Topic 7: Domestic and Export Supply Chains
- Domestic supply chains
- Distributions centres and fruit ripening facilities
- Export supply chains
- Weaknesses in the coolchain
- Monitoring the coolchain – a case study
Topic 8: Giving Consumers What They Want
- Global fruit and vegetable markets
- Trends in the supply chain
- NZ grocery sector
- Consumer behaviour
- Sensory science and new cultivar development
- Consumer attitudes to health and other attributes
- A case study – RubyRed
- A case study – Rockit apples.
Topic 9: Inventory Management
- Principles of inventory management
- Physical management of produce
- Class debate – A move away from plastic to paper-based packaging only is beneficial for consumers of horticultural produce.
Topic 10: Future Trends in Post-Harvest
- R&D in post-harvest
- Leadership programmes
- Innovations in horticulture
- O Week: 2 June, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Week 1: 3 June, Wednesdays, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM (from 3 June to 19 August 2026)
- Fieldtrip: 24 June (1 day)
- Week 12: 19 August
There are no prerequisites. Entry to the programme of study will be in order of receipt of applications and enrolments by applicants who meet the entry criteria required under the programme regulations and have appropriate capabilities to complete the programme of study successfully.
Successful completion of a Level 4 Certificate or above (or equivalent), preferably in the Primary Industries subject area, OR
For applicants 20 years or older without the above academic criteria, evidence of relevant knowledge, experience, and the ability to undertake tertiary study at the diploma level is required. In this case, the applicant must participate in an enrolment interview to verify the evidence.
In exceptional circumstances, an applicant who does not meet the academic entry requirements may be granted entry to this programme of study, where they supply evidence to satisfy the Academic Committee of their ability to succeed in the programme.
Students must demonstrate significant workplace experience (e.g. a supervisory and/or management role OR equivalent) within the horticulture industry.
Students will be required to provide evidence that they can progress through the programme of study. This may require any or more of the following:
- Pre-Enrolment Interview
- Challenge assessments
- Submission of a portfolio of work
Further details about entry criteria are contained in the supporting documentation.
To Apply for the ‘Where Production Meets Post Harvest’ micro-credential, fill out the Online Application Form and select ‘Micro-Credential – Where Production Meets Post Harvest’ as your chosen programme of study.
After receiving your application, we will be in touch within 5 working days to confirm your eligibility and enrolment status.
Feedback about
Where Production Meets Post Harvest Course
Don’t take our word for it, hear from employees and employers around New Zealand who have taken the “Where Production Meets Post Harvest” paper them selves or who had staff do the course!
Get ahead of
the competition
Are these skills applicable to your management position and moving up the career ladder?
Check out some of the career-specific learning you will receive by taking the “Where Production Meets Post Harvest” course.
Production systems and post-harvest performance in horticultural industries and enterprises.
Processes for product improvement to right through to the customer.
Analysis of inputs and outputs and key systems to assure quality, environmental, and social impacts from 'paddock' to plate.
Business-specific, get the chance to make recommendations and apply your learning in a real-time environment.
Global trends and insights into the production systems and the cutting-edge innovation happening right now in the industry.
People and culture and the effects of great work environments on overall production efficiency.
Industry-leading case studies, understanding the WHY of how New Zealand's leading businesses are so good at what they do.
Join our live Q&A
session online
Fill out your details below, and we will send you a link to join our Q&A session with our course tutor
About The Fruition
Level 6 Diploma
This micro-credential course is equivalent to one of six papers that make up the full Fruition Level 6 Diploma, our Horticulture Production course that is completed over two years.
Fruition is offering this single “Where Production Meets Post Harvest” paper as a micro credential, meaning you can gain knowledge from this amazing course without having to commit to the full diploma.
We offer our credentials with the intention to seek approval for these to be stacked towards the Fruition Diploma of Horticulture.
