Harnessing new hydrocooling technologies to the post-harvest care of fruit such as cherries is vital.
Large multiples account for a major share of all cherry sales and many of these sophisticated retail operations see the freshness of their produce as a key competitive advantage in the quest for consumer loyalty.
Top-quality fruit is profitable for retailers. There is evidence to suggest that consumers are willing to pay a premium price for high-quality cherries which they regard as a treat, especially if the fruit is juicy, glossy and tasty.
Turkish growers export the bulk of their cherries through June and July and are keen to extend this season to a start point at the beginning of May. Cherries grow on the coasts of the Aegean and inland, over a period which lasts up to 60 days from the end of May through to mid-July.
The most common cherry exported from Turkey is the Ziraat 0900 also known as Uluborlu Napolyonu. Extending the growing season so that exports can begin in early May means using different varieties of cherry, in different geographic areas combined with the latest hydrocooling technology.
Stepac’s Xtend® system allows growers in Turkey to protect the quality of the fruit from point-of-harvest to point-of-sale and gives them a greater competitive edge over indigenous suppliers as well as other major exporting countries such as France, Spain and the US.
The Xtend® system works in the following way: once cherries have been harvested, field heat is removed. Fruit is then packed in micro-perforated modified-atmosphere polymer bags (MAP) and put into specially designed ventilated cartons. The filled cartons are moved into a cold-storage facility where they are held until shipment by refrigerated trucks to its European markets. Different temperatures are required for different varieties and environmental conditions and all of this is controlled by Xtend® which determines the appropriate O2 and CO2 levels and the relative humidity inside the MAP to prevent senescence, freezing injuries and water loss.
Turkish grower Yavuzlar has benefited from the Xtend® technology. Yavuzlar has been exporting fresh produce to European countries for more than 17 years. It exports approximately 3,000 tonnes of cherries each year. It has three main locations - Yenisehir/Bursa, Sutanhisar/Aydin and Antalya. Aydın Turkec, of Yavuzlar, says: “Our vision is to add value to our produce by providing high quality products and services so that we can meet any market requirement with a stable supply capability. We are using modern processing techniques including hydrocoolers, sorting lines and modified atmosphere packaging and we believe we are acting as a catalyst for improvements in cherry production techniques throughout Turkey.”
Alara Agribusiness also uses the Xtend® system in its 1,000 acres of cherry plantations. Alara specialises in growing and exporting sweet and brined cherries as well as black figs and has a total export volume of 10,000t. Kerim Taner, Alara’s managing director, explains: “We were the first company in Turkey to use modified atmosphere packaging. We have been using the Xtend®system for three years now and have developed our production infrastructure to maximise benefits of harvest cooling technology. We use mobile hydrocoolers to pre-cool the cherries right after the harvest and keep them at the ideal temperature throughout the supply chain.”
Investing in new infrastructures is essential according to Hasip Kuzu, who manages cherry packing operations at Masteks. “We started to use the Xtend® system for the preservation of mainly cherries and apricots and now we have begun to use it with other products too,” says Kuzu. “In the process we have developed new ideas on how to improve our infrastructure in order to take full advantage of the hydrocooling technique, which has proven worthwhile.”
Cena is another major cherry exporter. The company’s president Cengiz Balik says: “The production of cherries in Turkey has been increasing rapidly. For our part, we have been expanding our season by using varieties such as Burlat, Karabodur and Bigaro Napolyon. We have already been accredited with ISO-9001 2000, HACCP and IFS certificates and we regard it as essential to use the Xtend® MAP in order to be able to export our trademarks such as Melisa and Cena confidently at the highest possible quality.”
Other Turkish growers are beginning to experiment with modified atmosphere packaging. Hakan Koleoglu, president of Lara Foreign Trade, feels this is an important part of the business which cannot be ignored. “However hard we try to improve agricultural technology, there can still be fluctuations in the quality and quantity of produce,” he said. “That’s why we are evaluating the Xtend® system which we believe has the potential to allow us to supply higher-quality fruit. Working with Stepac, we have also discovered that they can introduce us to a very wide range of technology and science which supports our drive for enhanced sales and profitability. Stepac’s science-led approach is impressive, tapping in as it does to the latest worldwide developments in the post-harvest care of fresh produce.”
As well as growers, other major companies in Turkey are acting as a catalyst for change. Narpak Foreign Trade is a modern fresh-fruit packing company. Established in 1997, Narpak is located in the southern part of Turkey with a product range consisting of citrus fruit, apples, apricots, pomegranates, bananas and, since last year, cherries. General manager Deniz Deletioglu said: “We have begun to increase our cherry and apricot exports. We have launched our Delight cherry brand in Greece, France and the UK, further supported by investment in a new cherry grader and the Xtend® system. Furthermore, we are encouraging all our producers to learn about new technologies and obtain the necessary certifications in efficient agriculture applications.”
Malek Nass Duce, operations manager at Unifrutti, says investment in post-harvest technologies is key to future success. “Our task is to deliver high-quality produce to the consumer,” he says. “As the freshness of the fruit is the main factor in determining delivered quality, we simply have to use technology such as MAP. In our trials of Stepac’s Xtend® system for cherries and nectarines, we have achieved very satisfactory results in keeping fruit fresh and prolonging its shelf life.”
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