December 30, 2002	Monday	Shawwal 25, 1423

A few weeks ago a news item appeared in the press saying that kinoo exporters have failed to make any headway.

Later there developed a controversy whether kinoos should be packed in cartons or wooden boxes: The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) had asked three exporters to use paper cartons for the purpose. It was objected on the ground that it increased cost as well as reduced exports volume. Exporters said that a wooden carton was available at the rate of Rs13/ per carton while a paper carton cost Rs35.

According to the EPB, prices of wooden crates range from Rs15 to Rs25 while local paper cartons cost Rs35, which does not make much difference. Paper cartons are also available in bulk.

According to official figures, the export of kinoos during the year 2001 fetched $20 million and these were exported to Indonesia, Philippines, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia while seedless variety was sent to the UK and other parts of Europe.

Grading and packing: Preliminary grading, packing and marketing of citrus fruits has to be done at packing centres in accordance with the instructions issued from time to time by the Agricultural Marketing Advisor.

As per rules, grade designations markings on packages have to be carried out after checking samples from consignments of fruits at any of the export points.A certificate of quality, in the form known an Appendix XI.

The fruits in any container shall be of one variety and grade, and the top layer shall be representative of the entire contents of the packages.

The general characteristics of fruits for grading are as follows:

i. fruits shall be clean, ii. they shall be firm and shall have reached a stage of maturity which will permit the subsequent completion of ripening in the ordinary course of transport and marketing, iii) they shall be of a reasonable uniform colour. No fruit shall be entirely green, iv. They shall have the shape normal to the variety and shall be free from malformation, v. They shall be free from visible defects due to disease or insects or mechanical injury affecting the fruit internally, vi. superficial blemish shall not exceed 10 per cent of the total surface area of any individual fruit.

Packaging: A brief discussion on packing is given below: Citrus fruits shall be packed in clean wooden boxes or cartons having suitable aeration arrangements.

Advantages in unit packaging are that ripening of the fruits is delayed, and the moisture loss is minimized during storage and marketing. The consumer can see the fruits before purchase without actually touching them. If pre-packaging is done just after harvest, ripening is delayed and the market life of the fruits is extended. Corrugated card board boxes with or without holes on the sides are used in many parts of the world. These boxes contain cut strips of cardboard arranged in a criss-cross fashion so that each rectangle holds fruit.

Perforated cardboard boxes usually carry 5 to 10 kgs of fruits for exporting to foreign countries by air. It should be borne in mind that foreign customers would like to have elegant, attractive and properly labelled packages, in addition to the good quality of the fruits. Such packages are costly, but better returns would neutrize the extra cost.

However Kinoos shall be placed in a box with 4 or 5 layers.

Pre-packaging is done for effective presentation, at retail shop. This does not change the fundamental perishable character of the produce but gives some protection and makes its handling easier and also prevents contamination. This system is known as “Unitilization” of produce which has been practised by retailers all over the world since long. Fruits like apples, mangoes and oranges, can also be packaged in consumer unit packs in polythene bags provided with ventilation holes.