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Harvesting - Handling and Packaging of Table Grapes

This document provides guidelines for harvesting, handling, and packaging table grapes for export. It discusses standards for grape maturity, harvesting procedures, cooling and storage requirements, and symptoms of water loss. Special emphasis is placed on minimizing water loss and deterioration through fast cooling, high humidity, and careful handling and packaging of grapes from the field to final transport. For Afghan growers with limited facilities, it recommends practical approaches like harvesting grapes in the cool morning, packing carefully in shade, and using plastic liners to retain humidity during transport.

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130 views57 pages

Harvesting - Handling and Packaging of Table Grapes

This document provides guidelines for harvesting, handling, and packaging table grapes for export. It discusses standards for grape maturity, harvesting procedures, cooling and storage requirements, and symptoms of water loss. Special emphasis is placed on minimizing water loss and deterioration through fast cooling, high humidity, and careful handling and packaging of grapes from the field to final transport. For Afghan growers with limited facilities, it recommends practical approaches like harvesting grapes in the cool morning, packing carefully in shade, and using plastic liners to retain humidity during transport.

Uploaded by

Alexgwapo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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HARVESTING,

HANDLING AND
PACKAGING OF TABLE
GRAPES FOR EXPORT

HARVESTING
Standards

of grape maturity

Sugar

level (sweetness)
Acid level (acidity taste)
Colour of the berries
White

cultivars: Green, amber, yellow


Red cultivars: Pink, light red, dark red
Black: Black is only option
Sugar:acid

ratio (20:1-35:1)

Sugar levels
International

standards for USA,


Europe, UK, Far East (developed
countries)
Minimum

sugar levels (degrees Brix)

15.5-17.5

Sugar:Acid
20:1

degrees Brix

ratio

to 25:1

Cultivar

differences are very great


Standards are different for various
cultivars

Refractometer
Instrument

that measures degrees

Brix
Helpful instrument to determine the
ripeness levels of the grapes
Planning essential for the start of
harvest
Client

may discard the fruit if minimum


sugar levels are not adhered to

Specialised and expensive instrument that needs careful handling,


cleaning and regular calibration with distilled water
Vital instrument for any grape grower

Grape colour
(white)
GREEN

AMBER

YELLOW

Sultana/Kishmish

Sultana/Kishmish

Sultana/Kishmish

Grape colour
(red)
PIENK

RED

DARK RED

Crimson Seedless

Crimson Seedless

Crimson Seedless

Grape colour
(black)
AUTUMN ROYAL

MIDNIGHT BEAUTY

Local market versus Export


market
What

are the differences??


Why should we think differently about the
two?
Time

between harvest and selling in local


market is 1-2 days
Time between harvest and selling in export
market is 7-30 days
FRESHNESS

or SHELF LIFE or KEEPING


QUALITY

Local market sales

IDEAL SITUATION
To

retain peak condition, harvested


grapes must be transported as quickly
as possible to a facility where it can
be cooled rapidly to reduce its field
heat
This fast cooling should be followed by
storage at a constant temperature (01 degree Celsius), high humidity (9098%), suitable air movement and
atmospheric composition.

MIND SET FOR EXPORT


What

are the main challenges we face to


increase the shelf life of the grapes?
TWO MAIN CHALLENGES
Decrease

temperature as fast as possible


after picking
Maintain humidity as high as possible as
soon as possible after picking
Large

commercial exportation in USA, SA,


Chile, Australia
Storage

at 0-1 degree Celsius after fast cooling


90-98% Relative Humidity

Modern packing facilities


-cooling
-hygiene
-handling

Modern cooling and


transport facilities

Importance of temperature

Maintaining the cold chain

Maintaining the cold chain

Understanding the grape


Extremely

important to know what happens to


the bunches after they have been harvested,
because then we know what we can do to
prevent fast deterioration of the fruit.
Remember:
Grapes

do not ripen after harvest like some other


fruit (bananas, pears), it only deteriorates
Aim of post harvest treatments are to limit the rate
of deterioration
High temperature and low humidity after picking
will cause water loss from the stems and berries,
and this will increase the rate of deterioration

Symptoms of water loss


1-2%

weight loss of bunch will have


negative effects on berry firmness and stem
colour
3-5% weight loss of bunch will cause
serious deterioration
Bunch

discoloration (browning)
Drying of bunch stems
Loose berries
Loss of berry firmness
This

deterioration is permanent and will


cause rejection of the fruit by the market

Symptoms of water loss


Stem browning due to delays before cooling

32C/80% Relative Humidity + 6 days at 0C/80%RH

Symptoms of
water loss

Loss of berry firmness

Stem browning

Loose berries

Browning

Good storage conditions


Break

in cold chain can increase risk


of decay and disease development
Botrytis

Surface

rot biggest problem

and sub-surface browning of


berries can develop in sensitive
cultivars

Internal browning
Grapes before harvest

Deterioration as
browning after storage

Botrytis decay

Grey mould

Physical bruising

Sun burn

Effects of water loss

No cooling +
bad storage <10 days

Proper cooling + storage


130 days

Realities for Afghan


growers
We

do not have all the specialized


equipment and facilities as the
developed countries
We do not have cultivars with good
natural shelf life
BUT:
What

are we going to do to get our


grapes in the best possible condition for
export?

Actions to prevent
deterioration
Before

picking

Vineyard

management that produced


healthy grapes
Bird

damage
Good cluster formation (low compaction)
Bee/wasp/other insects damage
Physical damage
Phytosanitary control of diseases (powdery
mildew, Botrytis)

Bird damage

Wasps/bees

Bird control
Netting

Bags

Sun burn

Physical blemishes

Berry split/cracking and sun spots

Compact bunch
damages easily

Loose bunch
with less risk of
damage during
transport

Diseases
Powdery mildew

Severe mealy bug


infestation
of clusters

Actions to prevent
deterioration
During

picking

Boxes

for picking must be clean


Clean harvesting scissors for picking
Clean hands
Harvest during cool part of the day (<25 C)
Handle fruit carefully
Pack only one layer of grapes in box
Put soft materials at bottom of box
Pick bunches of mostly similar maturity and
berry size (uniformity)
Transport as quickly as possible to working area

Harvesting equipment
Harvesting scissors

Cluster preparation
and cleaning scissors

Clamping the cluster

Wrong way of
handling fruit

Multi layers in picking boxes

Dirty basket

Correct way of handling fruit

Support cluster at bottom

Single layer of fruit in picking box

Soft material in bottom


to prevent bruising

Pick grapes of similar maturity

Even maturity

Uneven maturity

Transport grapes from the


field to pack house as
quickly as possible

Actions to prevent
deterioration
During handling of clusters in pack house
Work

hygienic (clean hands, area of working,


equipment)
Trimming the bad parts of the cluster
Rot
Bird

damage
Physical damage, undesirable berries
Remove undesirable parts that will make packaging
difficult
Careful
Limit

handling of the cluster

touching the berries


No damage by the scissors to other berries, disease later
Handle the bunch by the stem only
Work softly with the bunch when picking it up and
putting it down

Careful handling of clusters

Actions to prevent
deterioration
During

packing the fruit in boxes for export

Packing

only one layer of bunches, no stacking


of bunches on top of another
Hygienic area and equipment
Always clean your hands
Boxes must be clean
Packaging material must be clean
Height of grapes in the box may never be
higher than the height of the box

Packaging
procedures

SO2 pad

Types of packaging

Plastic carry bags

Paper bags

Panets

Loose

Sponge (loose)

Strength of boxes to prevent pressure


on clusters below

Practical approaches to
Afghanistan limitations
Our

limitations are:

Lack

of cultivars with good natural shelf life

Shindokghani
Taifi

Delays

between picking and packing shed


Lack of proper cooling facilities after
picking and during transport
Lack of proper control of humidity
Lack of proper packaging materials
TRY

TO LIMIT THE HANDLING OF THE


GRAPES TO AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE

Field preparation
and packing

Cooling options
Straw house for packing
and storage

Evaporative cooling by wetting the sides during the day


and thereby creating lower temperatures inside as well
as increased humidity

Transport options
Creating air flow
for bulk loads

Transport options
Creating air flow
through the load

Stacking the
boxes inside
with space for
air flow

Packaging options

Rice straw/dry grasses as liners in the bottom of


boxes to limit physical damage
No pressure of grapes between boxes
The use of plastic/polyethylene liners inside the
boxes are the only probable means of ensuring
less water loss during transport

Open truck transport of grapes without humidity


protection is extremely risky

But: Can result in sweating of grapes

Good airflow in the shipment will increase the rate of


water loss of the berries and stems

Use of plastic liner will also decrease physical


damage of the fruit in the wooden/carton box

Physical damage=juice=fast deterioration (rot)

Loose
packaging

Bagged
packaging

Summary

We do not have the modern advantages, accept it


Pick the fruit during the coolest part of the day
(early morning)
Pick the grapes carefully and only pack as one layer
before trimming and cleaning
Work in a shaded place (straw house)
Store the grapes well ventilated with good humidity
Cover the grapes inside the boxes with plastic liner
to limit water loss
Get the grapes to the market as quickly as possible
Be inventive in your efforts to keep the grapes cool
and as humid as possible

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