Buyers can tolerate a difficult season. What they cannot tolerate is unpredictable grading between shifts and weeks.
The farms around Lake Naivasha that hold direct programmes year after year tend to share the same operational habits.
Grading specifications everyone can see
Laminate the spec with photographs at each grading station. Calibrate graders weekly against reference stems and record the variance.
Hydration discipline from cut to cold room
- Clean buckets and fresh solution at defined intervals
- Minutes, not hours, between cutting and hydration
- Documented vase life testing on a rolling sample
Phytosanitary compliance is quality work
The false codling moth systems approach depends on scouting, hygiene and documented control measures — the same disciplines that produce clean stems.
Analyse rejects weekly
Categorise rejects by cause and share the trend with greenhouse supervisors. Quality improves when production sees the consequence of field decisions.