Agronomy and Fresh Produce Advisory That Connects to Commercial Outcomes
Independent agronomy support for crop performance, supply risk and agriculture-related programs, evidence-based, practically grounded and commercially aware.
MediPlant helps growers, fresh produce suppliers and agriculture-related organisations identify the agronomic issues affecting crop quality, production risk, input efficiency and supply performance.Led by Mehdi Sharifi, agronomist with over a decade of experience across protected cropping, commercial horticulture and national fresh produce supply chains.
Specialist Agronomy and
Fresh Produce Advisory Services
MediPlant helps growers, fresh produce suppliers and agriculture-related organisations identify the agronomic issues affecting crop quality, production risk, input efficiency and supply performance.
Select the advisory area most relevant to your organisation:
Not sure where to start?
Most engagements begin with a review — a clearly scoped, fixed-output assessment that gives you a practical findings summary and recommendations without committing to a large project upfront.
Grower and Fresh Produce Advisory
Independent agronomy advice that improves crop performance, input efficiency and commercial outcomes for growers and fresh produce businesses.
Many growers face production problems that are agronomic in origin but commercial in consequence. Inconsistent quality, unexplained yield decline, unclear nutrition strategy, pest and disease pressure, or input costs rising without a clear return.MediPlant provides independent, evidence-based agronomy advice backed by experience across commercial horticulture, protected cropping and fresh produce supply chains. Recommendations are practical, commercially focused and tailored to each business.
Available advisory services:
Crop Performance and Quality Review
Who it's for
Growers and protected cropping businesses
The challenge
Inconsistent crop performance, quality issues or unexplained production decline.
What MediPlant does
Assesses crop health, nutrition strategy, production conditions and agronomic practices to identify root causes and prioritise improvements.
Deliverables
Written findings summary, prioritised recommendations and priority action list.
Why it matters
Quality issues identified late cost more to fix — early diagnosis reduces rejection risk, input waste and avoidable production loss
Soil, Nutrition and Input Efficiency Review
Who it's for
Growers seeking better nutrition and input decisions
The challenge
Rising input costs without clear return, unclear nutrition strategy or variable crop performance
What MediPlant does
Assesses soil condition, nutrient status and fertiliser program to identify inefficiencies and improve input decisions
Deliverables
Written input efficiency assessment, nutrition recommendations and priority action plan.
Why it matters
Optimising the nutrition program improves crop performance, input efficiency and profitability while reducing unnecessary input expenditure.
Protected Cropping Agronomy Review
Who it's for
Protected cropping growers, including glasshouse, tunnel and hydroponic production
The challenge
Crop performance, nutrition, climate control or IPM challenges affecting protected cropping systems
What MediPlant does
Assesses the production system, identifies root causes and provides practical, evidence-based recommendations tailored to protected cropping systems.
Deliverables
Written findings summary, prioritised recommendations and a practical implementation plan.
Why it matters
In high-value protected cropping systems, one unresolved issue can affect an entire season. Proactive assessment helps protect both yield and profitability.
Sustainable Production Review
Who it's for
Growers and fresh produce businesses responding to buyer, retailer and sustainability requirements
The challenge
Sustainability requirements from buyers, retail partners or programs without a practical implementation plan
What MediPlant does
Assesses current practices, identifies gaps and translates sustainability expectations into practical, farm-level agronomic actions
Deliverables
Written sustainability observations, identified risk areas and prioritised improvement recommendations.
Why it matters
Sustainability expectations are increasingly becoming a prerequisite for retail and export supply agreements. Practical improvements help protect market access and strengthen commercial relationships.
Not sure what is affecting crop performance or input efficiency? Start with a review.
Supply Chain and Commercial Risk Advisory
Proactive, independent supply chain risk assessment that identifies agronomic and operational risks before they affect quality, supply consistency or buyer confidence.
Agronomic issues at farm level directly affect supply reliability, product quality and commercial performance. Most suppliers only identify these risks after a quality failure, rejection or supply disruption has already occurred — by which point the commercial damage is done.MediPlant draws on national experience in fresh produce supply chain risk management at Woolworths Group, including more than 160 supplier evaluations, national supply risk strategy development and biosecurity program design.
Available advisory services:
Fresh Produce Supply Risk Review
Who it's for
Fresh produce suppliers, growers and commercial businesses supplying retail, wholesale and export markets.
The challenge
Agronomic and operational risks across the supply chain that affect product quality, supply consistency and buyer confidence.
What MediPlant does
Assesses agronomic, operational and supply-chain risk factors, identifies priority risks and provides practical recommendations to strengthen supply reliability and product quality.
Deliverables
Written supply risk assessment, prioritised improvement actions and practical recommendations.
Why it matters
Identifying supply risks early is significantly more cost-effective than responding to quality failures, rejected product or supply disruptions after they occur.
Quality and Consistency Review
Who it's for
Fresh produce suppliers and commercial businesses experiencing product quality or consistency issues.
The challenge
Inconsistent product quality affecting buyer relationships, supply continuity or long-term commercial performance.
What MediPlant does
Identifies the agronomic and operational factors driving quality variation and provides practical recommendations to improve product consistency and reduce rejection risk.
Deliverables
Written quality assessment, root cause analysis and prioritised improvement action plan.
Why it matters
Consistent quality protects buyer relationships, reduces rejection costs and strengthens long-term commercial performance.
Sustainability Readiness Review
Who it's for
Fresh produce suppliers managing sustainability expectations from retail buyers, export customers or certification programs.
The challenge
Sustainability or compliance requirements without a clear, practical plan to meet them at farm level
What MediPlant does
Assesses current production practices against sustainability and compliance expectations, identifies priority gaps and provides practical, prioritised recommendations for implementation.
Deliverables
Written sustainability gap assessment, identified risk areas and prioritised improvement recommendations.
Why it matters
Sustainability expectations are increasingly becoming a requirement for retail, export and certification programs. Addressing gaps early helps protect market access and strengthen commercial relationships.
Contact MediPlant to discuss a supply risk or quality review for your business.
Government, Council and Program Advisory
Independent technical advisory for public sector projects
Independent agronomy and fresh produce advisory for government agencies, councils, RDCs and publicly funded programs — evidence-based, clearly scoped and outcome-focused.
Agriculture, sustainability and food system programs frequently require specialist technical expertise that is not available in-house. Without it, programs risk poor technical design, implementation gaps and outcomes that do not translate to real farm or industry improvement. Government and council buyers also need confidence that an external specialist can deliver clearly scoped work with low risk and transparent governance.MediPlant combines commercial agronomy, national fresh produce supply chain experience and applied agricultural research to support government-funded projects with practical, evidence-based technical advice. Registered on the NSW Supplier Hub, MediPlant delivers clearly scoped technical advisory services aligned with government procurement and project delivery frameworks.
Typical outcomes:
Independent technical advice
Evidence-based recommendations
Clearly scoped project delivery
Practical implementation recommendations
Reduced project delivery risk
Improved stakeholder confidence and project outcomes
Available advisory services:
Agriculture Program Technical Advisory & Review
Who it's for
Government agencies, councils and program delivery teams
The challenge
Agriculture, horticulture, food systems or sustainability programs that lack specialist technical agronomy expertise in-house
What MediPlant does
Provides independent technical advice, specialist agronomy expertise and program review, delivering clearly defined outputs aligned with government and council project delivery frameworks.
Deliverables
Technical advisory reports, risk and opportunity assessments, and stakeholder-ready briefings.
Why it matters
Without specialist agronomy expertise, programs risk poor technical design, implementation gaps and reduced impact for growers, industry and public investment.
Sustainability and Resilience Advisory
Who it's for
Government programs, councils and industry bodies addressing sustainable agriculture, food systems or supply chain resilience
The challenge
Sustainability or resilience programs that need agronomic expertise to translate policy intent into practical, measurable farm-level outcomes
What MediPlant does
Provides independent technical agronomy advice that translates sustainability policy and program objectives into practical, measurable farm and supply chain improvements.
Deliverables
Written sustainability assessment, identified risks, practical recommendations and program-ready reporting.
Why it matters
Without practical agronomy expertise, sustainability initiatives risk strong policy intent but limited on-farm adoption and measurable impact.
Grant and Program Technical Support
Who it's for
Project teams, government agencies, industry bodies, RDCs and grant applicants requiring specialist agronomy expertise.
The challenge
Grant applications, program designs or project deliverables requiring credible specialist technical review and subject matter expertise.
What MediPlant does
Provides subject matter expertise, technical review and program documentation support aligned with grant and project requirements.
Deliverables
Technical review reports, technical recommendations and program-ready documentation.
Why it matters
Specialist technical input strengthens grant applications, improves program design and reduces the risk of poorly scoped or technically weak project submissions
Discuss your program or project with MediPlant to explore how independent technical advisory can support successful delivery.
About MediPlant
MediPlant is led by Mehdi Sharifi, an agronomist with over a decade of hands-on experience across protected cropping, commercial horticulture and fresh produce supply chains in Australia.MediPlant brings practical agronomy, field observation, supply chain risk understanding and original agricultural research together — to help clients improve crop performance, reduce production and supply risk, and make better decisions at every stage of the production cycle.
What I Help With
MediPlant works with growers, suppliers and agriculture-related organisations dealing with challenges like these:
Inconsistent crop quality or unexplained yield decline that needs a clear diagnosis
Pest, disease, soil or nutrition issues affecting production performance
Input costs increasing without a clear return on investment
Unclear or inefficient fertiliser and nutrition strategy
Supply inconsistency or quality variation affecting buyer confidence
Production risk that is not being identified or managed early enough
Sustainability expectations that need to be turned into practical farm-level actions
Supply chain risks that may affect quality, consistency or commercial performance
Agriculture or sustainability programs that need specialist agronomy input
Need for independent technical advice before making a production or sourcing decision
If any of these sound familiar, MediPlant can help you identify what is causing the problem and what to do about it.
Where My Experience Comes From
My experience spans commercial agronomy, grower management, supply chain advisory, nursery production and original agricultural research across Australia.
| Organisation | Role | Experience & Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| 2022–2026 Woolworths Group | National Agronomist - Fruits & Vegetables | National agronomy strategy, supplier engagement, supply chain risk assessment and sustainable sourcing across Australian fresh produce supply. Led a 6-year national protected cropping strategy and conducted 160+ supplier evaluations across key vegetable categories. |
| 2021–2022 Boomaroo Nurseries | Grower Support & Assistant Production Manager — Lara, VIC | Agronomy advisory across nursery and propagation production, including substrate quality assessment, plant nutrition, IPM improvement and energy management. Key outcomes included 40–60% gas reduction during the peak winter season, 10–20% waste reduction, and improved crop health and production efficiency. |
| 2015–2021 Costa Group | Grower Manager / Agronomist — Guyra NSW | End-to-end management of a 5-hectare high-tech hydroponic glasshouse producing tomatoes, capsicum and cucumbers. Production waste reduced from a budgeted 8% to an average of 1–3%. Water recycling system designed and implemented, achieving 75–80% drain water reuse. Chemical use reduced 30–40% through biological IPM programs. |
| 2013–2015 University of New England | Master of Science (Agriculture) — Armidale NSW | Original experimental research on phosphorus efficiency, phosphorus deficiency and calcium–phosphorus interactions in Australian sodic soils, with a focus on crop nutrition and production performance. While the research was conducted in a cotton-production context, the findings strengthened my technical understanding of soil chemistry, nutrient availability and plant nutrition principles relevant to commercial horticulture, including crops such as tomatoes and capsicum. |
Across these roles, my experience covers:
Protected cropping: glasshouse, greenhouse, tunnel and hydroponic systems
Field-grown and open-field horticultural production
Commercial fresh produce supply chains supplying major Australian retailers
Nursery and propagation production systems
Agricultural research and postgraduate scientific inquiry
Crops: berries, cherries, grapes, tomatoes, capsicum, cucumbers, lettuce, Asian vegetables
Why This Matters for Clients
Most agronomic problems have commercial consequences. Inconsistent quality, supply gaps, unnecessary input costs, avoidable crop failures — these are not just production issues. They affect revenue, buyer relationships and long-term business viability.My background connects both sides of that equation. I understand agronomy at field and facility level from years of hands-on production management. And I understand commercial supply chain expectations from national-scale work across fresh produce sourcing, supplier evaluation and supply risk strategy.That combination — technical depth and commercial awareness — is what makes MediPlant’s advice practical and relevant, not just technically correct.
How I Work
Every engagement starts with understanding the actual problem, not the assumed one.
Request a Consultation
Tell me about your project, business, crop, site or challenge — I'll get back to you within 24 hours.
MediPlant works with growers, fresh produce businesses, government agencies, councils, industry bodies and agriculture-related organisations.
📧 Direct email: [email protected]
📞 Phone: +61 404 275 257
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