Writtle has a dedicated Postharvest Unit equipped with modern analytical equipment, cold storage facilities and shelf life rooms.
The Unit undertakes research work on fresh produce, packaging, cooling storage, handling and transport issues for many leading companies including multiple stores. The Unit, that is lead by Dr Chris Bishop, also provides training and consultancy services worldwide. Chris, a fluent Spanish speaker, has recently returned from delivering training to flower producers in Columbia where he has offered regular training sessions in the past three years.
By way of an introduction to the topic, the Columbian growers are asked ‘what is the amount of CO2 produced to transport by air one kilo of cut flowers to Northern Europe from Colombia?’ CO2 is known by the Columbians to be increasingly important to the buyers of their flower crops, but few appreciate that the answer is close to 2kg of CO2 per kilo of cut flowers.
Of course the ‘carbon footprint’ is now a topic of conversation and concern in many countries as buyers become more aware of the business that it presents, and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that the food we consume or the flowers we buy contribute to climate change.
The production, packaging and transportation all consume energy and results in carbon emissions which threaten to raise average global surface temperatures. However, not all foods or flowers are equal and the Food Carbon Footprint Calculator (FCFC) provides the opportunity to calculate the resultant CO2 from the food you eat, called your ‘Food Carbon Footprint’. This website also offers personalised and practical ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your diet, reducing your impact on climate change.
Results released from Cranfield University showed emissions from Kenyan flowers (including air freight) were 5.8 times lower than for Dutch flowers. This robust study examined over 500 inputs, studied the production, packing, cooling and transport to Hampshire and included direct energy consumption, the manufacture, use and delivery of fertilisers, pesticides, vehicles, and materials used for buildings.
The explanation is of course because the yield of roses in Kenya is nearly 70 percent higher and the main Kenyan energy source is geothermal, whereas the Dutch is mainly fossil fuel. Roses grown in Kenya have the advantage of natural heat and light when compared to Holland and they are packed and transported in specially designed boxes which are efficient to air freight.
The study demonstrated the natural production advantages of Kenya compared with the artificial growing conditions of Northern Europe. Also, that Kenya is able to utilise the optimal year round growing conditions and well as the supply of renewable geothermal energy, whereas growers in Holland need to rely on significant inputs of gas and electricity. It demonstrated the importance of evaluating all the production inputs as well as the transport component in determining the overall impact of different supply chains in terms of total greenhouse gas production.
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