Asia Fruit Logistics is the next fair that will be held in Thailand , again with massive amounts of effort and monies ready to be splashed out . Of course , marketing is important and meeting people in person will never be substituted , ever , despite all the “ new ” electronic meeting tools . These events prove even more special after what we can actually call an almost complete worldwide isolation period , dragging on for more than two years at this point in time . For those who have been in sales and marketing for “ donkey ’ s years ”, you would know that the individualised approach will never actually lose ground . However , this aspect and all these efforts in putting such events together and the hype will subside quickly when the products do not arrive at their destinations in a quality-condition that was expected . And that , ladies and gents , is a given .
Quality sells , always , so your product condition will speak volumes .
Almost all farmers fit this picture : worldwide , they grow the best possible product in the orchards and on the vines , etc as we know . If they do not , they should rather be fishing .
But that process of growing a quality product is simply not enough anymore in a
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global environment , the matter of preserving the quality after harvest has leapfrogged the list of importance .
Overall quality does not happen by , or helped by putting plasters on a wooden leg , even if it is injured . That only happens by getting the right procedures in place , at the right time . In the “ whole ” cold chain by whomever is involved : farm , cartons , inner packaging , cooling facilities , transport , containers , harbors , ships , receiver , seller … the works .
Not one cold chain link can be overlooked in this process . As everybody knows , the weakest link will break , with devastating effects as a result . Postharvest damage is irreversible and cumulative , and it will show eventually - wherever and whenever it surfaces in the journey . And when it does , it is literally too late to remedy . The postharvest trajectory starts when you cut the umbilical cord of the fruit . When you separate the offspring from the mother plant . And the importance of the first step of these chains too-often gets forgotten or not enough diligence is applied . That creates immediate stress that will result in … damage … in an instant . That is why we developed our applied postharvest philosophy right from the start of the
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process as we understand mother nature . And nature never ever breaks her own laws , not yesterday , today , or tomorrow . This is a particular point we have been stressing for years now .
This philosophy gets implemented with remarkable success locally and in other African countries , even to such an extent that we get requests from all over the world to see exactly how this strategy is working . And work it does , as once again we “ let the products do the talking ” and the benefit of your PUC number getting a preferential treatment status is realised . Naturally , quality relies on all of the points of the cold chain . The entire cold chain in fact needs to be followed correctly - again with diligence . And do you know what ? The initial investment right at the start of the process is small in comparison with the value of your fruit that passes through your facilities . The rest of the process needs a shake up as some people still believe they can walk barefoot on water , while changing the same water into wine . Next time you go to Fruit Logistica , and you do start implementing the right philosophy , get your order books ready .
Quality will always sell . The answer is simple … let your fruit quality do the talking . CLA
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Erfan Parhizi | Unsplash
Farmers around the world grow and nurture the best possible quality products , but the problems start to creep in already from the time produce is cut from the mother plant .
The postharvest
trajectory starts when
you cut the umbilical
cord of the fruit .
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