Carrot polishers, which can give produce a far more attractive appearance, have revolutionised the pre-pack sector, delegates were told.
The use of machines to buff up the crops’ appearance allows producers to use between five and 15 per cent more of the total crop, according to Yorkshire-based grower Guy Poskitt.
“Traditional barrel-washed carrots look inferior by comparison and do not have the required eye appeal,” he said.
And peeler polishers, while reducing bacterial breakdown, are also following closely behind the first generation of camera graders which remove defects.
“This is the key to survival,” said Poskitt. “As growers and packers we are all faced with rising labour and production costs while finished production costs remain static or in decline.
“Investing in technology should be the priority of everyone.”
But set against this is the cost of investment in machines which can cost between £50,000 to £500,000.
Poskitt added it was vital that supermarkets recognised that growers needed longer-term relationships to pay back the investment costs
