PROJECT
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Focus on excellence rewards ‘ best table grape grower and packer in the world ’ ranking By Jan Lievens , post harvest specialist and director at Humiditas South Africa For this farm , quality is not a once-off act - it is a habit throughout their processes .
All image credits : Jan Lievens
Initial talks to install the applied postharvest technologies at the Agrostar facilities in Egypt started in 2019 whereafter the Harraz family , owners of Agrostar EFE , came down to South Africa early in 2020 to inspect similar installations and talk to the various South African farmers recognised for their quality that have implemented such systems and harvest philosophy with successful results over many years .
Unfortunately , the worldwide Covid-19 crisis stopped all international activities for two years and international travel
Mokhles Harraz with Jan Lievens in the Agrostar orchards / vineyards . Photo taken in 2019 .
Table grapes packed with a smile at the Agrostar farm in May 2022 .
Oscar Salgado is a world renowned table grape expert from San Lucar , Spain .
bans made it impossible to consider any implementation anywhere . The project was therefore concluded in May of this year ( 2022 ).
Putting this project phase into context , Egypt has one of the longest histories of any country , tracing its heritage along the Nile Delta back to the 4th - 6th millennia before the common era .
Considered a cradle of civilisation , Ancient Egypt saw some of the earliest developments of writing , agriculture , urbanisation , organised religion and central government . Iconic monuments such as the Giza Necropolis and its Great Sphinx , as well the ruins of Memphis , Thebes , Karnak , and the Valley of the Kings , reflect this legacy and remain a significant focus of scientific and popular interest . Egypt ' s long and rich cultural heritage is an integral part of its national identity , which reflects its unique transcontinental location being simultaneously Mediterranean , Middle Eastern and North African .
The well maintained plant and cooling facilities all tie into this farm ’ s quality drive .
Agriculture is a major component of the Egyptian economy , contributing 11.3 percent to the country ’ s gross domestic product . The agricultural sector further accounts for 28 percent of all jobs , and over 55 percent of employment in Upper Egypt is agriculture-related .
Table grapes are one of the most widely grown fruit crops in Egypt . It is the second most important fruit crop after citrus . Egypt ’ s geographical spread of production enables fresh sweet grapes to be available from May to July . Table grapes are grown from Alexandria in the north of Egypt down to Aswan in the south .
Competition among Egyptian growers is therefore fierce . There is always more competition every year because of the new grape plantations coming into production , so the only thing that keeps one farm ahead of the others in the market is the ability of producing a high quality product .
And in the respect of quality , you will
Walid el Geishy , general manager of Agrostar find Agrostar , located near Sadat City on has already put in 22 years on the farm .
the Alexandria Desert Road , growing and managing top quality table grapes .
Oscar Salgado , known as the most renowned and respected table grape expert on the planet , has labelled this particular farm as “ the best table grape grower and overall packer in the world that he knows of and has seen over the years …” Quite the label for such a facility in the sector .
This farm was founded in 1995 by Mokhles Harraz , currently the presiding chief executive officer . Their head office is situated in Cairo in the Beverly Hills Business district . They have just over four hundred hectares of land and their own export company is known as Egyptian Fruit Exports ( EFE ).
Everything at the Agrostar farm comes down to delivering what is termed as a ‘ super quality product ’ to the most qualitydemanding clients all around the world including retailers , wholesalers , and food service companies . Their network in fact delivers to over thirty five countries , while over 1,2-million cartons a year in a small time are dispatched from this well organised farm unit . This equates to around 45 to 55 40-foot containers a week and they have a pack-out quality rate of 96 %+.
The whole farm just oozes quality , in every department , every operation and in every employee on every level . Their strategy is to sell quality rather than quantity . And that they do , 100 %. From the orchard management right through to the loading of the containers . No “ chances ” are taken anywhere . They do not chase huge volumes Agrostar orchards ready to be harvested in May 2022 .
16 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za COLD LINK AFRICA • July / August 2022