INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Image by vecstock on Freepik
With increasing airfreight costs , many exporters have had to shift to sea freight .
Wiserow . As of 2022 , 30 % of their produce went through air freight , and 70 % through sea freight . Wiserow has had to send more of its products by sea freight to get a viable return .
By sea , their fruits spend almost 25 days in a reefer container and for this reason , good quality precooling has been critical for them to achieve the desired fruit classifications that are required at all stages of the supply chain , from farm level to their final destination on supermarket shelves .
3 . ADDRESSING CONDENSATION ISSUES
Precooling is the process of treating fresh fruit and vegetables with overpressure airflow ( or in certain cases cold water ) to remove the field heat straight after harvest and slow down respiration rates before grading , packing , and either storing or shipping . This technique has a positive effect on the shelf life and quality , compared to non-pre-cooled products . Furthermore , not carrying out this process efficiently increases the risk of high condensation rates , which occurs when hot , humid air touches colder surfaces . In turn , this generates high risks of moulding , shrinkage and aesthetic defects such as spots and browning , among others . A well-designed cold chain is essential to prevent condensation , which can foster the growth of diseases , bacteria , fungi and yeast .
Wiserow Enterprises , a client of InspiraFarms , faced frequent condensation issues on their blueberry fruit surfaces before the switch . This led to microbial growth and fruit softening . However , with InspiraFarms ’ precoolers , Wiserow can use step-down cooling , bringing field heat to 10 – 12 ° C before the final cooling , mitigating past condensation issues .
4 . FINANCIAL LOSSES THROUGH CLAIMS REJECTIONS
Fresh produce exporters might face rejection of their produce or encounter claims for several reasons , including :
• Produce quality and grading issues , e . g . physical damage or evidence of disease .
• Presence of pests or signs of pest activity in the shipment process .
• Non-compliance with standards related to restricted pesticides and contaminants .
• Improper packaging based on the customer ’ s or importing country ’ s standards .
• Evidence of temperature fluctuations such as softening , wilting etc .
However , cooling is one of the most common causes of rejection . For Nanyukibased herb exporter , Bloom Growers , temperature fluctuations in the old cold room resulted in rejections ranging from 40 – 60 % and , subsequently , financial loss . However , with their newly adopted 25m 2 cold room from InspiraFarms Cooling , they observed nearly zero customer complaints and claims , and have retained more customers due to enhanced produce quality .
This is also the case for Wiserow Enterprises . They received 15 produce loss claims in a year with their old system , which dropped to two with InspiraFarms Cooling ’ s solutions . After the decline in claims , the business reported USD120 000 of savings on claims alone , highlighting the financial benefits of the cooling upgrade .
5 . HIGH COST OF POWER AND FUEL
For businesses directly dependent on power and fuel – such as energy-intensive cooling – high costs directly increase their operational expenses , reducing their overall profitability . This was the case for Bloom Growers , who initially relied on a dieselpowered generator to run their old cold room costing them between 50 000 to 60 000 Kenya Shillings ( KSh ) per week .
They opted for a 25m 2 solar-cold room , bringing their power costs down close to zero , and therefore cutting their costs and improving their operations ’ efficiency .
The export of fresh produce alongside farm cooling practices can create daunting challenges . Yet , with the right interventions and innovative solutions , these barriers can be effectively addressed . InspiraFarms Cooling is at the forefront of offering such solutions , ensuring that businesses not only navigate these challenges but also thrive in the market . CLA
They opted for a 25m 2 solar-cold room , bringing their power costs down close to zero
COLD LINK AFRICA • March / April 2024 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 9