Piketko: Services per fruit category

Services per fruit category:

Services per fruit category: peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots

In-take: Fruit from farms are received in a shaded area.
Inspection: Uninspected fruit are presented to the resident PPECB inspector immediately after arrival.
Cooling: Immediately after being passed for export, fruit are placed in pre-cooling tunnels and cooled down to the required temperature within 24 hours. Once cold, fruit can be stored or loaded into containers for shipment.
Additional services to producers: The completion of incomplete pallets and the efficient handling of fruit for the local market.

Services per fruit category: grapes

In-take: Fruit from farms are received in a shaded area.
Cooling: Fruit are placed under forced air cooling within 30 minutes. Grapes are cooled down to the required temperature within 24 hours and can be shipped immediately or stored for later shipment.
Inspection: Grapes destined for the USA can be inspected at Piketko. After approval for the USA, the grapes can be cold treated and loaded in containers for direct shipment to the USA.

Services per fruit category: apples and pears

Bulk bins: Piketko has more than 18 000 bulk bins in which fruit can be picked. A producer that wishes to pack at Piketko does not have to hire bulk bins from outside sources.
Cooling: Once delivered to Piketko, bins are cooled down to the required temperature in forced air tunnels within 24 hours to prevent moisture loss and to retain quality. Fruit at the required temperature are stored or can be packed immediately.
Packing machines: Piketko has two packing machines for apples and pears. These machines have a capacity of between 150 and 300 (depending on the fruit type) bins each per day. Sorting and packing are done by a skilled and well-trained workforce.
Packing procedures: Fruit from different producers are packed separately. This ensures traceability from the end consumer to the orchard in which the fruit were picked. Fruit can be packed in three export grades and a local grade. After packing the fruit are presented to the in-house PPECB inspector and once approved for export, are transferred to the cold stores for cooling.
Food safety practices: The packing facility has recently been awarded international HACCP-accreditation and producers, export agents and the end consumer can be assured that food safety practices in terms of chemical, biological and mechanical hazards are of the highest standard.

Services per fruit category: citrus

Treatments: Citrus delivered to Piketko are treated with a fungicide within one hour after arrival. Fruit that needs degreening are treated with ethileen gas in the well-equipped degreening facility.
Packing: Piketko has one packing machine for citrus with a capacity of between 180 and 400 bins per day (depending on the variety). If a night shift is added, the capacity doubles. Sorting and packing are done by skilled and well-trained workers. Fruit from different producers are packed separately. This ensures traceability from the end consumer to the orchard in which the fruit were picked. Fruit can be packed in three export grades and a local grade. Once packed, the fruit is presented to the in-house PPECB inspector. After it has been approved for export, the fruit is transferred to the cold stores for cooling.
Food safety practices: The packing facility has recently achieved the international HACCP accreditation which means that producers, export agents and the end consumer can be assured that food safety practices in terms of chemical, biological and mechanical hazards are of the highest standard.
Exports to USA: Citrus destined for the USA can be inspected at the inspection facility at Piketko. Once approved for export to the USA, the citrus can be cold treated at Piketko in one of the PPECB-approved cold stores and loaded into containers for direct shipment to the USA.