12/20/2016
Harvesting
- Bananas are harvested all year round. Fruit is harvested, packed and marketed while still green. Ripening is usually done at the wholesale markets in gas camera.
- Harvesting bananas is hard work and involves carrying heavy bunches, which often weigh more than 50 kg, to field trailers. Particular care and training is needed to avoid injuries to workers and damage to the fruit.
- Bananas deteriorate rapidly in hot sun, reducing their shelf life. They should be harvested quickly and kept shaded while in the field. It is best to cool the fruit quickly by getting packed fruit to cold rooms as soon as possible, but ensure that the fruit does not cool below 14°C.
- Three key tips for harvesting:
Harvest the fruit during the cool part of the day when possible.
Shade the fruit during transport to the packing shed.
Avoid delays in transporting the fruit to the packing shed.
Packing
- Fruit is cut from the bunch, washed, drained, graded and packed as hands into 13 kg cartons. Bananas are graded into extra-large, large and medium sizes. In addition, fruit is graded into no. 1 and no. 2 grades within these sizes according to blemish.
- Three key tips for packing:
Cool the fruit in the packing shed with sprays or water dips.
Cool the packing shed with forced-air (not lower than 14°C).
Refrigerate the fruit while it is being transported to market.