The joy and expectation of importers of fruits is to see good arrivals. Commercial expectations are met for both suppliers and traders in the supply chain, and importantly, the value to the end-user consumer of having quality avocados.
Last year, Kenyan avocados destined for the European markets upon arrival faced a myriad of quality issues and claims. Keep reading to learn how we are overcoming long transit times.
Turning the challenge into an opportunity
But we cannot give up on the good avocado story. At Mavuno Organics, noting the reality of the situation, we have looked at every step from how we grow, take care of the avocado trees, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and the shipping schedule. Through this process, we have developed management practices based on experience and good arrivals, aiming to achieve better avocado quality.
What can we say about the above elements?
The importance of healthy farming practices
Avocados that are well-cared for, with healthy soils and the requisite nutrients, produce fruits that are harder and can better withstand long transit times. Our farmers who use organic farming with typical crop diversity on farms embody the use of compost and green manures, enabling the trees to have good water capillarity and be healthier. Organic farming also requires less water compared to conventional methods. It is good for the environment too.
Efficient post-harvest handling
From the orchard to the packhouse, Mavuno ensures that the time taken does not exceed 10 hours. This rapid processing helps maintain fruit quality and extends shelf life. Their certified packhouse in Ruiru adheres to international food safety standards, ensuring that the avocados are handled with care and efficiency.
Field sanitation and orchard monitoring
Maintaining proper field sanitation prevents the potential microbial growth that can cause diseases in fruits.
Field orchards’ health monitoring before harvesting of fruits is crucial and only use orchards that show signs of good health. During the harvesting season, our field team is on the lookout and helps our farmers adopt better orchard management practices, such as pruning and nutrition.
Determining the right harvest time
When harvesting is imminent, dry matter sapling and test are essential to give an idea of the right stage of maturity. Based on experience, dry matter levels of 22-24% are most suitable for long-distance transportation situations.
Harvesting best practices
Harvesting is where it becomes exciting. Look at the happy faces of the pickers bathed in the sun and the cool breeze wrapped in the lush green vegetation. Do not make your harvest during the rainy season, water is only good to the roots and the soil beneath!
Harvesting avocados during heavy rains is not recommended because the fruit can become highly susceptible to damage and disease. The high moisture content of wet fruit makes it more vulnerable to bruising and lenticel damage during handling and transport. This damage can lead to black spots on the fruit surface and increased sensitivity to chilling injuries during storage. Additionally, wet fruit is more likely to be infected by pathogens that cause stem-end rot and body rot.
“In a snapshot, arrivals from Mavuno, 99.3% fresh fruit and firm fruit, dry matter OK” – Importer and Distributor of Avocados based in Malaga, Spain
Optimal timing for packing and shipping
Planning ourselves to harvest and pack as close as the latest stuffing dates has seen an improvement in the shelf life of fruits.
Fast post-harvest processing
From the tree (fields) to the box and cold storage, we have SOPs to ensure it takes a maximum of 10 hours. This is to give the fruit a longer shelf life by inhibiting the onset of ripening in the shortest time possible.
People power: The Mavuno Organics family
A Happy family; of course, for any successful human endeavour, the people behind are very key. At Mavuno, with our shared values for innovation, stewardship, and respect, we see that we have a motivated workforce with the dedication to face business challenges.
Our packhouse staff have the privilege of having the Living Wage scheme, which seeks to pay higher wages than the minimum wage. This enables them to earn an income that supports a decent living and motivates them to strive for excellence.
The above practices will go a long way in ensuring that the Kenyan fruit experiences an improvement in arrivals.
Traceability and data
We are in constant learning and as we move on, we seek to use our traceability system and data collection on farm types, avocado cultivation processes and correlate this with the arrival quality reports. These will hopefully give us an idea of what should be done to improve the quality and provide approaches to overcome challenges like long transit times.
AI applications
We are getting intelligent day by day thanks to the use of AI, which is helping us in giving precise data on orchard conditions, weather conditions to determine the right harvesting times, as well as the fruit’s maturity levels.
On the high seas when goods are in transit, we are able to monitor fruit conditions and can liaise with the shipping line to manage reefer settings to ensure the fruit has the ideal environment. Fruits at different stages of maturity need different setting protocols.
Over time, the arrival quality reports can be analysed to give answers on what should be the most effective ways to see good arrivals. We are exploring other areas that can use AI to improve fruit quality.
Invitation for collaboration
Mavuno Organics invites agronomists, plant scientists, postharvest experts, and professionals passionate about innovation in horticulture to collaborate with us in enhancing avocado shelf life and quality.
With a strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and value-driven export practices, we are seeking partners who share our vision of transforming the avocado supply chain for the better.
If you’re interested in joining forces, we’d love to hear from you. Learn more here and get involved! Together, we can build a more resilient, sustainable future for tropical fruit exports.
