Yet , several challenges arise , especially in the realm of cold chain management – an essential component for exporters , who aim to thrive in the market . Rising transportation costs , issues of condensation , and maintaining the right on-farm cooling temperatures are some of the prevalent concerns . InspiraFarms have developed energyefficient cooling solutions that address these challenges head-on . Many businesses have already benefited from these innovations .
1 . TEMPERATURE MAINTENANCE ISSUES
Exporters of fresh produce in Africa face significant challenges when maintaining the ideal temperature for their products . Wiserow provides a good example of this . Previously , Wiserow operated a cold room with temperatures consistently ranging between 8 – 10 ° C . Achieving and maintaining temperatures below 10 ° C was a persistent issue due to inefficiencies in their cooling solution . As a result , fruits were often
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Supplied by InspiraFarms Cooling
Produce probe for blueberries .
dispatched with pulp temperatures between 6 – 8 ° C degrees . For long transit periods by sea freight , the pulp temperature was considered insufficient , as their fruits would often soften in transit , impacting the quality upon arrival .
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However , this changed with the adoption of InspiraFarms ’ advanced cooling system , which enabled the required pulp temperatures to be met , while extending the shelf life of fresh produce . Equipped with |
efficient in-built blast chillers , the system enabled Wiserow to rapidly achieve and stabilise desired temperatures , often within a timeframe of 30 minutes to an hour .
2 . THE IMPACT OF SOARING AIR- FREIGHT COSTS
Sea freight has benefits when compared to airfreight in terms of reaching higher capacity and maintaining lower prices . Despite sea freight having a longer transit time to key markets , the profitability window for airfreight ’ s premium is shrinking , making it less lucrative for exporters . Transit time of produce on ships is the predominant challenge for fruit and vegetables , with the duration time from African ports to Europe equating to 25 – 30 days . To successfully reach markets and maintain produce quality , high-quality pre-cooling and an efficient and continuous cold chain from the point of harvest to the consumer is fundamental .
A number of exporters have had to shift their means of transport due to high airfreight costs – such as Zimbabwe ’ s
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