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INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN |
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The word “ specialty ” is used because in our field , it is not just about selling machines , it is about bringing a solution to the table .
Recently , we started embarking on a campaign to emphasise the importance of this postharvest philosophy on our three focus areas : fruits , vegetables , and flowers . And within the fruit group , we specifically target the table grape industry .
And guess what , we were recently in Egypt where we implemented our philosophy and technologies on a super quality farm that works for 4-6 weeks per season … You read this correctly , 4 to 6 weeks “ only ”. But everything comes down to delivering a super quality product to the most quality demanding clients all over the world in the RIGHT CONDITION .
Even the tracks where the water and air pipes were mounted were made of stainless steel .
Around 45 to 55 forty-foot containers a week . 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 . They sell quality rather than quantity . And that they do , 100 %.
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From the orchard management right until the loading of the containers – no chance is taken anywhere . They do not chase huge volumes per hectare as their managers look after the plant ’ s wellbeing and avoid “ overstressing ” it and what is more important , looking after the plant for years to come .
Oscar Salgado has labelled this farm as “ the best table grape grower and overall packer in the world that he knows
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and has seen over the years …” It is here were we met with Oscar Salgado , from San Lucar , who shared his worldwide used presentation on table grapes and what do we see in his presentation ? Our postharvest schedule for the preserving of quality after harvest through preserving the condition of your fruit . Put right into his PowerPoint presentation as he knows we are right . He in fact saw the article “ Houston we have a problem ” and started taking an interest in our work . To add to this statement , a masters student at the University of Stellenbosch recently proved it through a three-year study , in a thesis of 132 pages , that we have been right all along as well .
Let me put it brutally , honestly , and straight forward to you , and in fact it is remarkably simple : your table grapes will not reach your client in top quality condition by chance , but by changing your postharvest approach , philosophy , and procedures . And that is talking about the entire process .
Most farmers , in general , try to grow the best possible product in the orchard . Worldwide . Simple . Ninety-five percent of all her or his efforts are put into this . The last 5 % gets forgotten . Let me explain …
Everybody knows the famous industry fact that an un-cooled table grape deteriorates in an hour at 32 ° C as much as in a day at 4 ° C or a week at 0 ° C … On face value , which is a very straightforward rule if you lose time , you lose quality .
Still , the industry is battling with this concept and a lot of time is lost after harvesting the table grapes in the field . That action is suicidal . It is simple : if you lose four hours in cooling delays , you lose four weeks ’ shelf life . Simple . And in many cases , 4 hours is putting it mildly .
Not only that , if you know that a grape stem dries out fifteen times faster than its berry , you better take notice . These are some of the main pitfalls after harvest that destroy the condition of your product :
• All too often unnecessary delays in the orchard
• improper initial precooling with too low RH
• low RH
• too high windspeeds
• no bacterial control
• driven by fast output in final cooling , forgetting correct core temperatures in all boxes
• creating condensation due to improper temperature control
• long packing procedures
• wrong airflow carton design
• delays in cooling , both for initial precooling and final cooling
• transport in hot temperatures without protection on open trucks
• waiting in the sun to get off loaded at final cooperative cooling facilities
• containers not on the right temperatures
• inadequate loading procedures
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• containers not monitored for temperature and humidity during the voyage
• bad pallets
• inadequate packaging material
• wrongly designed and improper use of cooling tunnels
• improper temperature control in the packhouse
• heat developing door openings , and
• mismanagement
These are just “ a couple ” of the issues at stake here . And they are all in the last five %...
In fact , again , it is amazingly simple : your table grapes will not reach your client in top quality condition by chance , but by changing your postharvest approach , philosophy , and procedures .
Keeping on doing the same things year after year and expecting a change in quality of your fruit ’ s condition is pure insanity !
Recently , a well-known South African Table Grape technical specialist from one of the top companies dealing with fruit , told me that if the industry would apply our philosophies on the farm after harvest , 50 % of all export quality claims would disappear in South Africa . And then we are talking about a production of around seventy-five million cartons a year … Makes one think .
Professor Luis Luchsinger once told me that you will never be a prophet in your own country . That is your loss . Simple . The
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knowledge and expertise are here , use it . Sooner rather than too late .
If you want to farm in the future , you have no choice . The farms that supply quality condition fruit will survive ; the ones that do not will get eaten instead of selling an edible product . And if you are honest , you know that the client is already picking out PUK codes that do not give them stress .
I am sure you do not like stress , and you want to avoid it . Again , do something about it , change your attitude on how you look towards your business . You know the most famous saying in the industry : “ The farmer ’ s best year is next year …” Really ? I doubt it . Your years are running out .
For the smart “ oaks ,” this is valid for all fruits in South Africa . With temperature corrections of course . And for those who think table grapes are difficult ? If you farm blueberries , berries , and cherries , you better read this article again . Time you get into the right ages , rather than dive into the dark ages .
If you do not change your ways of doing things , you will keep on swimming with the ducks . Only problem is that there is a huge vortex in the water that will suck you down , whether you like it or not . My advice if you are really a quality outfit … start preparing to fly with the quality eagles .
If you do not , best go talk now to your bank manager to hand over the keys of the farm . The quality guys who read this will understand . The others should go and look for a new field of operation and start a retraining program . It really is that simple . CLA
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