Citrus growers now responsible for own packaging

Citrus Research International (CRI) has taken a step back from accrediting packaging for citrus growers, allowing each to make their own decisions around quality and pricing.

The accreditation system was implemented in 2008 after growers started incurring losses in the market due to the deterioration of packing material and poor palletisation practices in packhouses. The CRI was requested to address the problem and the ‘Packaging Material Specifications and Palletisation Protocols’ document became the standard that all packaging had to adhere to in the citrus industry.

Hannes Bester, extension manager at CRI, explained that while the initial aim of the accreditation system was to protect growers against losses in the market, it had become redundant in practice over the last few years. This was due to a number of reasons, including that no action could be taken against non-conforming practices and operators, and an erroneous impression that the CRI was acting as if it was a regulator and not the facilitator.

The protocols were also seen to be hindering innovation in the packaging space since specifications were prescriptive.

“The carton industry is very competitive; it’s dog eat dog out there. Growers too need to watch their bottom line and every aspect of farming and packaging needs to be reviewed to find cost-saving measures.

“So we realised that protocols can’t dictate to the manufacturers to the point where it takes their competitive edge away. The only way to lower the price is to use lower quality material, so if that is what the farmer demands, then that is what the carton manufacturer has to give them,” said Bester.

The process to revise the protocols was overseen by fruit industry veteran Dr Hoppie Nel. He noted that all the technical information in the document would remain unchanged, but that it was no longer an accreditation system, and rather a guideline that could be adhered to as desired. The responsibility therefore now rested on each producer to test their own packaging and ensure it fulfilled their own specific requirements. –

LINDI BOTHA Citrus Research International will no longer dictate quality parameters for citrus packaging, leaving the responsibility with the individual producer.