Agri Procurement Executive job description
An agri procurement executive buys crops and produce from farmers, mandis and aggregators for a processor, exporter or retailer. The business needs steady supply at the right quality and a fair price.
Why the role exists
The executive secures raw produce for the business. The person reports to the procurement or sourcing head and works with farmers, traders, quality staff, logistics and accounts. Weather, mandi movement and quality gaps change daily, so the role needs field presence and sharp follow up.
What the person does
- Track daily mandi prices and crop arrivals in the buying region and report the movement to the sourcing head.
- Build and maintain a list of farmers, farmer groups and traders who can supply the required crop.
- Negotiate rates and delivery terms within the limits approved by the manager.
- Arrange sampling and quality checks for moisture, size, colour and foreign matter before lots are accepted.
- Plan collection, weighment, loading and transport with the logistics team so produce reaches the unit fresh.
- Record each purchase with quantity, grade, rate and supplier, and send documents to accounts for payment.
- Visit farms and collection points during harvest to confirm crop stage, volume and quality early.
- Follow up on supplier payments and disputes in a polite and timely manner to protect long-term supply.
Skills and tools
- Mandi price trends and seasonal supply cycles for the main crops bought
- Quality grading by sight and by simple instruments such as moisture meters
- Negotiating with farmers, traders and commission agents
- Weighbridge, weighment slip and purchase record keeping
- Planning loading and transport for perishable or bulk produce
- Spreadsheets for purchase tracking and price comparison
- Building trust with farmer groups in the local language
- Understanding of payment cycles and documents needed by accounts
Education and experience
Preferred, never a bar: equivalent experience counts.
- Preferred: degree or diploma in agriculture or business, or equivalent experience in crop trading.
- Preferred: experience buying produce from farmers or mandis for a processor or trader.
- Useful: knowledge of the buying region, its crops and the local trade practices.
- Useful: comfort with travel to farms and collection points during harvest.
How the work is judged
- Volume procured against the plan for each crop and season
- Share of purchased lots accepted at quality without rejection
- Purchase rate compared with the approved range and market benchmark
- Accuracy and speed of purchase records and supplier payment documents
- Strength and spread of the supplier base, and fairness of dealings
Where the role can lead
- Senior procurement executive or regional sourcing manager
- Head of procurement or supply chain in an agri processing business
- Commodity trading, export sourcing or contract farming programme lead
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order and score them against written anchors, so the decision rests on the work and not the impression.
- Prices rise suddenly in the mandi in the middle of harvest. How do you protect supply and cost?
- How do you check quality at the farm gate before you commit to buy a lot?
- A supplier delivers produce that fails moisture checks. How do you handle the lot and the relationship?
- Tell us how you built a base of reliable farmers in a new area.
- How do you make sure the weighment and rate recorded are the ones agreed?
- What would you do if a supplier wants advance payment you are not authorised to give?
Hiring tips for this role
- Test commodity knowledge with real scenarios: grades, moisture limits, seasonal price swings and typical rejection reasons.
- Procurement carries fraud risk. Take references from earlier buyers and set clear approval limits, weighment checks and payment controls.
- Check relationship depth, not just a contact list. Ask for examples of farmers who supplied them repeatedly and why.
- Separate this role from quality control where possible, so the person buying is not the only one judging the lot.
Questions about hiring a agri procurement executive
No. Procurement buys produce for the business. Sales sells to customers. The skills overlap in negotiation, but procurement focuses on supply, quality, price control and supplier relationships.
Name the specific crops, such as grains, pulses, vegetables or spices. Quality checks, seasons and trade practices differ a lot, so a general label attracts the wrong candidates.
Preferably they prepare documents and follow up, while accounts approve and pay. This split protects the business and the executive, and keeps payment disputes with the right team.
GullyHR agrees the job description with you, finds and screens candidates with crop buying experience, and supports the offer. This is permanent hiring for your business.
Hiring a agri procurement executive?
GullyHR runs talent acquisition for permanent roles. We agree the job description with you, find and screen candidates against it, and support the offer through to joining. We recruit permanent employees. We do not supply contract or temporary staff.