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Green-seeds.com:
publications & research: articles
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BANGLADESH MARKETING MISSION AND REFRESHER TRAINING FOR THE EXPORT OF
FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Prepared by: G M Tokar Postharvest Specialist
3 July 1997
House 103, Road 1, Block F, Banani, Dhaka 1213
Telephone: 887404, 600730, 602298, 601211, 988-2008, 988-2009
Fax: (880-2) 9881724;
E-mail: atdp@citechco.net
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 Produce export marketing,
market development and post harvest handling needs must be urgently addressed
for Bangladesh. Suitable crops have been identified and developed to the
point that some of them are now providing harvestable amounts for marketing.
New export markets must be developed and post harvest technology is needed
to prepare these crops for marketing. Very little marketing and post harvest
information has been generated in Bangladesh. Some work has been done by
entrepreneurs to satisfy their own needs for processing and exporting fresh
fruit and vegetables. However much of the processed items are consumed locally
and most all fresh exports are targeted to the "informal" ethnic
market in England. Following a review of many sectors of the food chain
related to producing, handling and marketing crops that are to be produced
in Bangladesh the following is a general summary of my recommendations.
* Provide a simple demonstration packing shed in the area of production
of fruits and vegetables so exportable crops can be graded, packed and handled
for export. * Encourage fresh fruit and vegetable exporters to make use
of the BADC cold storage room at the airport to pre-cool produce prior to
export * Encourage the larger, more progressive fruit and vegetable exporters
to construct their own packing and cold storage facilities if use of the
BADC cold room proves successful * Continue to investigate new markets for
Bangladesh fruits and vegetables, especially in the Pacific Rim and Singapore
* Invite participation by other Bangladesh agri-business and food processors,
including those dehydrating fruits and vegetables and exporting frozen fish
* Assure that packaging for export produce meets international standards
* Support a center for post harvest technology and fresh fruit and vegetable
marketing. This facility should have the responsibility to develop and provide
information on post harvest needs and generate market intelligence. Of particular
importance is the gathering of market intelligence and information to help
fruit and vegetable exporters develop strategies to keep abreast of market
needs
BACKGROUND
The ATDP aims at increasing
productive employment in agricultural and related enterprises by creating
competitive markets for agricultural and agri-business inputs and technologies.
The project has now completed its initial stages of implementation and is
now concerned with developing some of the more important areas identified
during the initial stage. During late 1995 the ATDP proposed that a post harvest
specialist be engaged to help identify management and technology inputs
for processing and packaging fresh fruit and vegetables for export. At that
time several recommendations were made to project management and implementation
of some of these recommendations was started during the year. Recognizing
the importance of many of the recommendations in the areas of packaging,
storage, transporting and merchandising fresh fruits and vegetables for
exporters were to realize full commercial potential, the project proposed
that a specialist be engaged to conduct a marketing mission with some of
the Country's dynamic produce exporters. The purpose of this mission would
be to meet importers, become familiar with competitors product, identify
areas of opportunity, and secure trial orders. The terms of reference included
the following activities: accompany three Bangladeshi exporters and the
ATDP Export Market development Specialist to New York, London, Holland and
Belgium over a period of approximately three weeks and arrange visits to
wholesale produce markets, supermarket distribution centers, wholesale produce
buyers and other relevant individuals and institutions. Upon returning to
Bangladesh the specialist will be responsible for assisting the buyers and
providing refresher training in the following areas: ordering packing materials;
training in documentation; produce procurement and fieldwork; setting up
a small packinghouse; procurement of produce; packinghouse operation training;
packing export orders; trial shipments; evaluation of trial shipments; packing
and shipping; setting up future marketing plans and goals. MARKETING MISSION
During the last three weeks of January, visits were made to several produce
markets in Europe, England and the United States. Produce importers, wholesalers
and retailers were visited and members of the mission were given the opportunity
to view produce from other exporting countries. Members of the mission were
able to observe first hand packaging, quality standards and presentation
of identical fruits and vegetables from countries including Uganda, Kenya,
Zimbabwe, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and the
Philippines. During meetings with importers and wholesalers, mission participants
were able to discuss the needs of the market and how best to address these
needs. Trial orders have been secured from importers in Holland, Belgium
and England. MARKETS AND IMPORTERS New York During the week January 13 through
January 19, the marketing mission visited wholesale markets, wholesale marketers
of fruits and vegetables, supermarkets, produce markets and marketers of
ethnic vegetables in the New York area. Several marketers of fruits and
vegetables were visited at the Hunts Point Municipal wholesale market. Hunts
Point is the largest wholesale produce market on the east coast of the United
States with over 600 wholesale marketers importing produce from all over
the world. Several of these wholesalers expressed an interest in importing
produce from Bangladesh provided competitive air freight rates could be
worked out and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Protection
and Quarantine (PPQ) permits could be issued. The most informative meeting
was held with Mr. Joe Farace, Sales Manager, Goosmans Produce Inc. Goosmans
imports produce from several countries in South and Central America, Africa,
Asia and the Pacific Rim. Mr. Farace expressed an interest in Bangladesh
produce and pointed out what quality and standards were necessary to meet
the needs of U.S. importers. He also displayed samples of like produce from
exporting countries and pointed out many reasons why higher prices were
received for produce from one country over the other. As an example, garlic,
where packaged samples were displayed from lots received from Costa Rica,
Peru, Jamaica, Guatemala and Hawaii. Hawaii set the standard with prices
at $22/carton, double that of Costa Rica the closest priced competitor and
nearly three times the price of $7.50/carton received from garlic from Peru.
He also pointed out the importance of presentation and packaging and that
that most consumers "buy with the eyes" and will always pay more
for produce that has been properly handled, graded, packed and transported.
Mr. Farace showed several other examples of like produce from different
exporters and how in each case properly handled produce was easier to sell
at a higher price, accounting for higher returns to the exporter. Other
wholesalers including H & M Fleishier Inc., LGS Specialty Sales, L.C.
Jones International, Okun Morris Inc., Rosenthal & Klein Inc. and A
& J Produce were visited. In each case wholesalers pointed out the importance
of quality and packaging to assure maximum returns. A trip was made to an
ethnic area in Brooklyn
where several thousand Bangladeshi reside. Several retail shops in the area
selling ethnic fruits and vegetables were visited and while no fresh produce
from Bangladesh was evident, frozen fish and frozen vegetables exported
from Bangladesh were available. Merchants said that demand for ethnic produce
was high and was supplied by shippers in California, New York and Florida.
Varieties of produce that could not be produced in the U.S. were imported
from Costa Rica. Several merchants said that they would import fruits and
vegetables from Bangladesh provided air freight was available and that USDA
PPQ requirements were met. Although we were unable to visit a supermarket
distribution center, several supermarkets were visited and produce sections
observed. These included supermarkets in the Red Apple, Walbaum and Food
Emporium chains. Retail packages of several dehydrated fruits and vegetables
were purchased and taken as samples because it was determined that this
was the area in which Bangladesh could best compete. Reasons for this competitive
advantage are several including dehydrated fruits are priced high enough
to offset the high cost of air freight , dehydrated fruits and vegetables
have a long shelf life and non-commercial varieties can be used for dehydrating.
The USDA Produce Inspection Division was visited, the division provides
inspections of incoming produce shipments for grade and quality standards.
These inspections can be requested by either importers or exporters of fresh
produce upon arrival at a U.S. market and act as a safeguard to document
percentage of spoilage in any given lot of produce as it enters U.S. markets.
London Because London is the main point of arrival for most exported produce
from Bangladesh and the major market for produce exporters a major effort
was made to meet wholesalers. Two members of the mission are major produce
exporters to England both having their own distribution outlets in that
market. Both operations have family numbers in London to manage importation,
storage, sales and distribution of produce. Greenline owns and operates
both a wholesale distribution network and a major supermarket catering to
the large ethnic population in the Bricklane area of London. Wholesale distribution
takes place throughout England and Europe by means of a company fleet or
hired transport. The produce section of the retail supermarket is modern
and produce is displayed in an attractive manner. Eh Enterprise has a receiving
point located close to Heathrow Airport and distribution is made to wholesalers
and restaurateurs throughout London. Principals of both operations suggest
that the main problem with Bangladesh produce is the poor shelf life especially
during summer months when it is difficult to keep produce from Bangladesh
for more than 24 hours and that some shipments arrive in poor condition
indicating that deterioration has started long before produce leaves Bangladesh.
Both importers agree that if produce had additional shelf life sales would
be stimulated and higher returns could be made to exporters and producers.
New Spitelfields Market Visits were made to wholesalers in the New Spitelfields
market on two days. During that time produce was observed from several importing
countries and wholesale merchants in many stalls were visited. Spitelfields
is one of the main markets in London and well known for its availability
of a wide range of fruits, vegetables and ethnic produce. Of the produce
wholesalers visited, two, MM Exotic and Fruiti International, expressed
a willingness to import properly packaged produce from Bangladesh. Both
wholesalers pointed out that most produce received was packaged in 2.2 Kg.
and 4.5 Kg. cartons and that if Bangladesh was to be successful on the market,
fruits and vegetables would have to be presented and packaged in cartons
of the same dimensions as those used by other exporting countries. The sales
manager at Fruiti International indicated that they occasionally handled
Bangladesh fruits and vegetables but that most produce from Bangladesh arrived
in such poor condition that it could not be sold. When he could sell Bangladesh
produce prices averaged 30p/Kg. less than that from other countries. When
asked to explain he pointed out okra and chilies from Kenya, packed in 2.5
Kg. cartons, okra and chilies from Ghana packed in identical cartons in
an isle outside of his stall next to a refuse container he pointed out a
pile of okra and chili from Bangladesh packed in odd shaped baskets and
several different sizes of used garment cartons of bound together with string.
He clearly stated that until exporters from Bangladesh conformed to international
packaging standards, fruit and vegetables from Bangladesh would never sell
for comparable prices on any market. Needless to say mission participants
were quite embarrassed and immediately realized it would be difficult to
compete in a wholesale market until they started packaging in an acceptable
manner. Again, it must be mentioned that many importers expressed a willingness
to accept Bangladesh produce provided it was packaged properly. During the
past twenty years one of the biggest changes seen in the way fruits and
vegetables reach the ultimate consumer is the method with which they are
retailed. In the past, especially in England and Europe, most produce was
sold through retail produce shops. Today, however, most produce is sold
in the produce section of supermarkets and supermarket chain stores. This
change has also affected the way in which distribution is handled from the
exporter or producer. Wholesale markets such as New Spitalfields and Covent
Garden are seeing less product pass through their wholesalers. More and
more produce is being imported directly by wholesalers either prepackaged
or packaged according to known specifications and passed directly on to
supermarkets
for sale to consumers. In England, for example, there are five major supermarket
chains that account for the majority of retail supermarket sales and four
major fruit and vegetable importers that supply these supermarket chains.
These four importers all have affiliations with producers and exporters
from several countries. Based on growing conditions and rainfall patterns
in a given country or area within a country it is much easier to schedule
production to produce supplies of any product during any month of the year.
For example, Zambia might supply Exotic Farm Produce, one of the large produce
importers, with baby corn during the best growing season in Zambia, say
January, February, March and April. Exotic will switch to exporters in Thailand
during May, June, July August, September and October, the best months of
production in Thailand. During the balance of the year, Exotic will import
baby corn from another area with favorable growing conditions. By having
input into production programs importers are also able to control the types
of pesticides, time of pesticide applications and monitor other critical
areas of production and post harvest handling. Major importers also employ
their own agronomists and provide assistance during initial stages of production
and production planning as well as provide packing and post harvest expertise.
Because of the importance of these four wholesalers in England a major emphasis
was placed on making contact with these major importers and trying to secure
trial orders from them for different types of produce that could either
be produced throughout the year in Bangladesh or during certain periods
of the year that would be central season to production from other areas. Exotic
Farm Produce Ltd. Arrangements were made with the Exotic Farm Produce managing
director and marketing manager to visit the company handling facility and
cold storage where produce from exporting countries is received, processed
and repackaged for distribution to supermarket distribution centers. Mr
Atul Dhanini conducted a tour of the facility and demonstrated the methods
of handling and packing required by Exotic. He stressed the importance of
a completely transparent production program from planting through packing
necessary to meet the rigid requirements of consumers in England. Following
the tour the Bangladesh mission members inquired about the possibility of
trial orders. Mr. Dhanini pointed out that if the exporters could guarantee
proper production practices, sanitation and packaging, Exotic would have
no problem in arranging trial orders. He stressed that while most of the
sales by Exotic were for prepackaged consumer packs, Bangladesh exporters
would be confirmed to bulk packed (2.2/4.5Kg.) units because of the very
strict hygienic requirements for prepackaged product. Mr Dhani said that
his company had recently helped finance the construction of a prepackaging
facility in Kenya and that they had no desire to help construct a second
packinghouse at the present time. Products that Exotic would be interested
in importing from Bangladesh include baby corn, okra and chilies. He suggested
that after return to Bangladesh, mission members contact him for further
discussion regarding trial orders. Wealmoor Ltd. At the invitation of the
managing director of Wealmoor Ltd. , a visit was made to their general offices.
The Managing Director pointed out that his company had a receiving, storage,
repackaging and distribution facility at Heathrow airport where his company
was able to quickly move imported produce from aircraft to refrigerated
cold rooms with minimal disruption of the cold chain that started when produce
was packed. He said that his company was no longer in the ethnic vegetable
market and was now concentrating on tropical fruits, especially carambola
and mango. Varieties of mango that his company would be interested in included
tommy atkins, hayden, julie and sensation. His company would also be interested
in finding an alternate supplier of arkin variety of carmabola. Packing
and postharvest handling would have to be done in strict conformity to standards
set out by Wealmoor and all fruit would have to be precooled prior to shipment
from the exporting country. Saphir Produce Ltd. A meeting was held at the
offices of Saphir Produce Ltd. with Mr. John Lamb, Managing Director of
Fisher Vegetables and Rajesh Patel, Sales Manager for Saphir Produce Ltd.
Both pointed out that they were major importers of fruits and vegetables
and that their main vegetable supplier was Farm Fresh in Kenya. Together
Saphir and Farm Fresh had recently completed a new packing facility in Kenya
built at a cost of U.S. $4M to conform to the standards set by England and
the European countries for prepackaged and consumer packed fruits and vegetables.
During the course of the meeting they let it be known that Saphir Produce
was looking for an alternate source of production. They have been importing
from Egyptian fruit and vegetable exporters for some years but have now
decided to make a change. The reason for this is that Egyptian exporters
have consistently failed to meet the grade and standard requirements of
Saphir Produce. Both also pointed out that there could be a good market
for Bangladesh produce exports provided quality standards could be met.
Mr. Lamb stated that if Bangladesh were interested and a production program
could be developed, an agronomist from his company would be sent at company
expense to work with producers and packers to further develop the export
program He suggested that on return to Bangladesh members of the marketing
mission gather production, rainfall and weather data and immediately send
it to his company for analysis to determine what crops could best fit into
Saphir's program. Suggestions for crops that would be of interest included
baby corn, chili, okra, French beans and sugar snap peas. Other importers
of exotic fruits and vegetables contacted in the UK included Minor Weirn
and Willis, J.O. Sims and Gerber Fresh Produce.
Holland Two major importers
of fresh fruits and vegetables in Holland were contacted. FTK, Rotterdam,
and BUD Holland. A visit was made to the BUD Holland distribution warehouse
and cold storage facility where a meeting was held with Paul van Pelt, Director
and Gert Zee, Field Agronomist. Gert Zee is familiar with agriculture in
Bangladesh and has consulted for the Horticultural Export Development Project
as an agronomist to help identify crops that Bangladesh could develop for
export to European countries. Mr. Zee feels that there is a window of opportunity
for Bangladesh to export fine and extra fine French beans. This past growing
season the Hortex Project distributed French bean seeds for production in
Bangladesh however no follow up with technical production assistance has
been made so it is unlikely that a crop will be produced as specific production
techniques must be followed to meet market requirements. Mr. Zee did however
say that there was still an opportunity for Bangladesh to become involved
as an exporting country and that BUD would be willing to accept trial orders
for this crop. French beans are marketed in three sizes; bobby beans, fine
French beans and extra fine French beans. The market is extremely size specific
to this crop and provided it is sized correctly and quality requirements
can be met, good economic returns can be made for both the producer and
exporter. French beans are packaged bulk in 2.5 Kg. cartons, or 100gm and
200gm consumer packages and placed in a 5 Kg. master container for shipment
This product must be precooled and a cold chain maintained from packing
through consumer sales. Belgium A trip was made to the Brussels fruit and
vegetable wholesale market. During the course of a tour of the market several
importers were contacted. Two importers, Goossens Produce and Fidels SA,
expressed strong interest in handling produce from Bangladesh. Mrs. Goossens
said that she would be willing to accept shipment of okra and chili as well
as other crops. She also strongly pointed out that all fruits and vegetables
sent to her company had to be of extremely high quality and packaged in
containers that met internationals standards. Goossens imports fresh fruits
and vegetables from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya and Thailand. Mrs. Goossens
also pointed out that produce was rarely received in cartons other than
2.25 & 4.5 Kg. Except for consumer packed baby corn was packaged in
100 gm. foam punnets over wrapped with polyfilm or alternatively in clear
plastic punnets with interlocking lids, and shipped in a fiber board master
container.
PREPARING PRODUCE FROM BANGLADESH FOR EXPORT
With the development
of diversified crop production in Bangladesh, the need for post harvest technology
applicable to Bangladesh has become important. While the quality of fruits
and vegetables produced in the country is very good and will quite easily
meet the standards necessary for sale in European countries, post harvest and packaging techniques will have to be slightly modified in order to expand
the exports of fresh fruits and vegetables into these markets.
Present System of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Export Most, if not all fruit
and vegetable export is done under an informal agreement between exporter
and importer. Fruit and vegetables are first usually collected by exporters
from local markets or wholesale markets, after procurement the exporter
transports his produce to his go down where the produce is graded, sorted
and packed into bamboo baskets or second hand fiberboard cartons, bound
with string or twine, and transported to the airport for shipment.
Produce is usually exported to family members or acquaintances living abroad
where it is received and sold on a local level, to an ethnic market of Bangladesh
and residents from other South Asian and Middle East countries.
The price received by the exporter is either negotiated on a per kilo basis
in advance or the result of a consignment sale. Expanding the Export of
Fresh Fruits & Vegetables from Bangladesh. If the exporters of Bangladesh
want to expand their business into the export markets of Europe, by this
I mean enter the European wholesale markets, then there are certain steps
in the current system of post harvest handling of fruits and vegetables that
must be modified. * Exports at this time will be difficult due to small,
scattered production units, and non-adopted varieties that are available.
* Packaging and packaging materials have to be adopted to market requirements
and regulations.
* Air freight space is limited and expensive therefore only small operations
of high value crops will be competitive.
The development of high value crops will be necessary to replace the exports
of traditional crops which have marginal results in foreign wholesale markets.
* Adequate packing facilities in production areas or near the airport and
cold storage facilities at the airport will be necessary before the business
of fresh perishable produce export can be expanded.
* Technical programs in production, post harvest handling and export must
be developed.
* Technical assistance in production and post harvest handing is necessary.
* International market trends have to be followed to allow for timely decisions
on market strategy.
IMPROVING POST HARVEST HANDLING IN BANGLADESH
Transporting One of
the most important operations in exporting fruits and vegetables is transporting
the products from the harvesting location to the packing-house. Products
are most susceptible to bruising and mechanical damage during this time.
Roadways are usually rough, and if harvested produce is placed in containers
(field boxes or sacks) or if it is transported loose, it is usually stacked
high on the truck bed, bus top, or river boat. Care must be taken to ensure
that boxes are not overfilled and produce is not stacked too high. The importance
of careful gentle handling during this phase of the operation to protect
the products from cuts, bruises, and other mechanical damage cannot be over
emphasized. Packing Under the best circumstances, the quality of fruits
and vegetables can only be maintained, not improved during transportation.
Most of these products are high value and very perishable. Therefore, the
product quality should be the highest possible. Products in top condition:
* Have a longer shelf life * Satisfy importers and consumers * Promote repeat
sales and increase profit * Help expand markets Bruised, decaying or overripe
products can ruin an entire shipment and reduce importers confidence in
the shipper. Products in this condition: * Spread decay to other produce
in the load * Produce more heat which causes further decay * Lose more water
which results weight lose * Discourages repeat sales and reduces profit
By selecting and packing only top quality products shippers can help ensure
good arrival conditions. Shippers should use the buyers specifications for
grading to monitor quality, condition and size. While not all products have
official grade standards common sense techniques can be used to ensure the
packing and transportation of only high quality items. Since most of the
products being shipped will be new to many people it is essential to keep
the pack uniform in high quality and appearance in order to get consumers
to try these products and buy them again. Grading Clean and treat products
only as necessary: * Wash off dirt and debris from harvest operations *
Discard bruised, cut, decayed, insect infested, odd shaped, immature or
overripe produce * Use only approved fungicides or sanitary agents to limit
decay on certain products * Remove field heat, cool as soon as possible.
Sort and size produce by size and level of maturity: * Use voluntary grade
standards or buyers specifications * Place only uniform sizes or amounts
in each shipping carton * Place only products with a uniform level of maturity
in each container * Clearly mark the produce name, grade, size, weight or
count on the container Foreign countries may regulate the use of certain
chemicals on products. Be sure to know the regulations of importing countries
as you the exporter are responsible for meeting those standards and they
can be checked on arrival. Grade standards are usually voluntary except
in certain products. However, quality and size standards are usually set
by the importer. Official Inspection Inspection for grade, condition, size
or maturity may be requested by shippers, importers or any other financially
interested party. The inspections can be done at the port of entry or receiving
market and an official inspection certificate is issued. Quality control
with grading helps shippers to meet the needs of different markets, pass
inspections and receive higher prices for their products. Quality control
reduces the risk of financial loss from downgraded or rejected shipments.
Packaging Proper packaging of fruits and vegetables is essential to maintaining
product quality during transportation and marketing. In addition to protection,
packaging in the form of shipping containers serves to enclose the product
and provide a means of handling. It makes no sense to ship high
quality, high value perishable produce in poor quality packaging which will
lead to damage, decay, low price or outright rejection of the products by
buyers. Packaging must withstand * Rough handling during transportation
and unloading * Compression from the weight of other containers * Impact
and vibration during transportation Packaging materials are chosen on the
basis of needs of the product, packing method, cooling method, strength,
cost, availability, buyer specifications and freight weights. Materials
used include * Fiberboard boxes * Wood crates and baskets * Paper bags *
Plastic boxes * Foam boxes Boxes, bags, crates and baskets are considered
shipping containers. Baskets are considered difficult to handle because
of their shape. Bags provide limited shipping protection. Fiberboard boxes
are the most widely used container and considered most satisfactory for
shipping the wide range of produce Bangladesh ships. Styles include: * One
piece box * Two piece box with cover * Interlocking box A minimum of 150
lb/inch bursting test strength fiberboard is recommended for export. The
strength is needed for the handling and transport conditions the boxes must
endure. Holes are provided in most fiberboard boxes to provide ventilation
of product heat (respiration) and allow air circulation of cold air to the
product. All holes must be designed and placed in a manner that does not
weaken the box. Fiberboard boxes and wood crates are designed to be stacked
top to bottom. Compression strength and protection are sacrificed when the
boxes or crates are stacked on their ends or sides. Misaligned cartons can
lose up to 30% of their strength while cross stacked cartons will lose up
to 50% of their top to bottom compression strength. Paper and polystyrene
foam liners help to insulate the produce during transit and storage. Methods
of packing include * Field packing, produce is graded, trimmed and placed
in containers during harvesting. Filled containers are then shipped. * Shed
packing, products are processed or packed indoors at a central location.
The produce is transported in bulk from the field prior to packing Types
of packs include * Volume fill, produce is placed in the container until
the desired capacity or weight is reached * Place pack, products are carefully
placed in the container to reduce damage and make a pleasing appearance
* Consumer pack or pre-pack, small amounts of product are weighed and packaged
for retail sales Containers must be sized and filled correctly Containers
which are wide or too heavy encourage rougher handling, product damage and
container failure. Overfilling causes bruising and bulging of the sides
of the container. Under-filling causes damage because the product moves
around during shipping and handling, causing bruising. Labeling All containers
should be clearly labeled in the language of the destination country with
the following information: * Common name of the product * Net weight, count
and or volume * Name and address of the packer and shipper * Country of
origin * Special handling instructions (storage temperature, etc.). When
choosing cartons for export, it is important to start with as few different
sizes as possible. At present three or four sizes of cartons should be considered.
These should be designed for flexibility of use. At a later date it may
be necessary to purchase specific boxes for a wider range of products and
customer requirements. The general requirement is for a strong, self-build
box (no stitches or staples, if possible) which has double thickness on
the base walls. A single walled box can be used with inserts added to improve
strength. Ventilation holes will be required for air circulation. The number
and size of the holes depending on the size of the container and the product
being packed. Boxes should be sealed with tape, not string or twine. Because
the LD3 is the ordinary air freight container used in Bangladesh boxes should
be designed around the interior dimensions of that container. This will
reduce the amount of rough handling during loading by the airport staff.
Refrigerated storage The BADC has in operation a refrigerated fish and vegetable
storage area at the airport. The vegetable portion of the storage area consists
of 2 separate cold rooms, each approximately 25 feet X 40 feet and capable
of cooling and holding approximately 60 tons of produce.
Operators of this storage unit have stated that it has remained unused to
date. The use of these refrigerated cold storage rooms should be investigated
and considered for use prior to shipping produce to European markets or
if export shipments are bumped off air flights due to lack of freight capacity
on the aircraft. Cooling produce prior to shipment can extend the shelf
life of the product. At the prevailing cost of 12 poisa/kg/day charged for
cold storage, this service is very economical and should be of great help
to exporters
TRAINING AND PREPARATION FOR TRAIL ORDER SHIPMENT
Several days were spent
with the mission participants reviewing the main points of the Improved
Technology for Processing Fruits and Vegetables for Export report. The main
points addressed included issues needed to meet the competition in European
markets, mainly quality and packaging standards. Produce packaging samples,
collected in London and Rotterdam, were given to a carton manufacturer and
arrangements were made for him to make samples of the same dimensions and
quality. Though the cartons produced were not of acceptable quality, they
were of the correct size and self fold. The carton manufacturer agreed to
change the glue used in construction and use a higher quality fiberboard
in the initial order of cartons that would be used for trial shipments of
okra and chili. Following delivery of the initial order it was determined
that the glue used would need improving and flute shape of the inner carton
ply would have to be changed before the cartons would meet market standards.
With follow up and monitoring by ATDP staff a suitable carton should be
available immediately. After inspection of the BADC cold storage rooms and
packing area at the airport all participants of the marketing mission agreed
to meet with BADC management to discuss the possibility of a long term lease
of the facility so that all packing and pre-cooling could take place there.
BADC would not agree to a lease because the facility was provided for use
by any exporter of fruit and vegetables. However they pointed out that the
cold room and packing area had not been used in the several years it has
been in operation and welcomed the exporters to use the packing area at
no cost and charges for the cold room would be 12 poisa/Kg/day for pre-cooling
and storage. Slight modification of the cold storage room was made to pre-cool
vegetables prior to air shipment. In order for forced air cooling of produce
in packages an existing room can be converted to a forced air cooler by
using an auxiliary axil flow fan mounted to a portable plenum. This was
done at the exporters expense and used to pre-cool packed cartons of chili
and okra for the fist trial shipment. It should be pointed out that pre-cooling
produce is a very important step in successful export program. However full
benefits of pre-cooling cannot be seen until the warmer periods of the year,
May through September in England.
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Green - Seeds Co., Ltd.
81/10B Ho Van Hue Street, Phu Nhuan District, Ward 9, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 (8) 847 6901 - Fax: +84 (8) 844 1392 - Email: info@green-seeds.com
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