INDUSTRY NEWS
Embracing Aussie almond careers
THERE are a huge variety of jobs in the Australian almond industry. While growing, processing and marketing are considered the key aspects, there are many people completing other vital roles. Karthick Markandan and Jaimin Vyas both moved to Australia from India and work for ofi but their journeys are quite different as Kellie Hollingworth discovered.
IT WAS love that prompted Jaimin Vyas to move to Australia.“ I came here with my wife, who was my long term girlfriend and she came here to study,” he said. Mr Vyas has notched up two years as the production planner with ofi, near Mildura, a vast role that focuses on bringing all of the departments together to add value to the business.“ I’ m involved in sales with managing the contracts, I’ m involved in operations planning their day to day operations, at the same time I do the procurement of the consumables, I’ m also taking care of the analytics of the plant side of things,” Mr Vyas said. Before coming to Australia he worked as a bank supply chain manager in Gujarat, in India’ s west. India is Australia’ s second largest export market for almonds and Mr Vyas said they are significant for religion and cultural celebrations.“ I have friends and family always checking on me all the time and they ask how the almonds are going and when am I bringing some home for them,” he said.“ Never in my dreams did I imagine that I’ d be working in almonds but here I am and it’ s been a really good experience.” Mr Vyas represented Australia at the Almond Ashes earlier this year and was named player of the match after taking five wickets but he almost didn’ t play.“ I was planning to come and watch,” he said.“ Cricket is a hobby but I don’ t play locally, I used to play when I was living in Melbourne.” Mr Vyas is training for a half marathon in October.“ I’ m going to go back to cricket but I want to focus on my run, I want to
Despite growing up a world away in India, Jaimin Vyas and Karthick Markandan have found rewarding careers in the Australian almond industry.
finish in a certain timeframe, I have set that goal for myself and want to achieve that and then I’ ll go back to being a fast bowler,” he said. Karthick Markandan was already working for Olam when he moved to Australia. Eleven years ago he started in the core IT team and then moved to business IT, where his career started with Olam Australia.“ People wanted me to be physically in Australia to support and run the business,” he said. So in January 2022 Mr Markandan and his family moved to Mildura.“ In my family I was the first guy to move overseas for work and they were always asking about my safety, but I’ ve told them not to worry,” he said.“ Mildura is a quiet place, with less traffic compared to Chenai, which is heavily crowded and a 30 kilometre trip would take three hours, here it’ s 30 minutes.” The SAP software consultant’ s focus is to help with efficiencies throughout the Australian operation, from the farms right through to consumers receiving the product.“ I do agreed solutioning, we do analysis of market technologies and everything and whichever fits the business we recommend,” he said. When Mr Markandan isn’ t working he’ s home with his family, which includes a toddler.“ He keeps me pretty busy,” he said. In summer you’ ll find Mr Markandan playing cricket for Mildura East. Like Mr Vyas he represented Australia in the Almond Ashes.“ Ben Fessey( ofi’ s General Manager Trading and Key Accounts) encouraged me to join, initially I was not sure of the format and how competitive it would be but he told me not to worry and play my best,” Mr Markandan said. As for the future, Mr Vyas said he likes to go with the flow, while Mr Markandan is thinking about making Australia his permanent home.
industry. australianalmonds. com. au
23