INDUSTRY TAKES POWER BACK: New dispensation on pome fruit

Load shedding and dispensation for loadout temperatures for apples and winter pears have been a major concern for the pome fruit industry.

Now, in a pro-active step, the Packhouse Action Group (PAG) load shedding workgroup met recently to discuss the impact of load shedding power cuts. The workgroup is represented by Richard Hurndall, Henk Griessel, Bernard Henning, Jaco Moelich, and Johan Strydom. The present uncertainty of load shedding schedules and the levels of power cuts, require urgent proactive measures to address operational disruptions that can impact on fruit quality.

To manage the possible build‐up of uncooled or partially cooled apples at cold stores due to load shedding, a dispensation has been obtained from PPECB for the maximum loadout temperature for apples of +3.0°C to be applied. (Presently setpoint plus 2.0°C which in practice normally equates to a maximum of +1.5°C). The dispensation applies only in the case of power cuts, and this needs to be verified with the local PPECB inspector.

This arrangement cannot be applied to summer pears due to the risk of quality problems.  On the 28^th February, the PAG met to discuss the situation on winter pears, where the following was decided:

Load shedding dispensation for loadout temperatures for winter pears

To manage the possible build‐up of uncooled or partially cooled winter pears at cold stores due to load shedding, a dispensation has been obtained from PPECB for the maximum loadout temperature for winter pears of +2.0°C to be applied. (Presently setpoint plus 2.0°C which in practice normally equates to a maximum of +1.5°C). The dispensation applies only in the case of power cuts, and this needs to be verified with the local PPECB inspector.