Fresh Notes: Packhouse Action Group (PAG) Meeting

Held on 5 March 2020

Moratorium on High-Cube Containers

Contact: Andy Connell

• The Department of Transport must still conduct the relevant research.

Revised Steri-Market Protocols for Newer Cultivars

Contact: Henk Griessel

• The current load-shedding protocol has addressed this point.
• The plan is for it to become a regulation when the dispensation expires on 31 December 2020.

SOPP (Sodium ortho-phenylphenate)

Contact: Bernardus Henning

• SOPP is very volatile and can cross-contaminate packaging material.
• CRI is investigating alternatives for pallet sterilisation, and Hortgro plans to participate in their process.
• Blupro and Antiblu are interim alternatives, though they are not environmentally friendly.

Packhouse Benchmarking

Contact: Dawid Malan

• Please note the positive improvements in the benchmarking statistics over the years.
• The quality benchmarking parameters are still in the development process and testing.

Feedback: Eskom Key Customer Meeting

Contact: Henk Ryke

• For Eskom to become viable, they need an increase in 25%–30%.
• Business separation (Generation, Transmission, Distribution) will go ahead (already started).
• 50% of needed maintenance has been approved. Therefore, an 18-month period of load shedding will take place to accommodate repairs and maintenance.
• Four power stations (Medupi, Arnot, Tutuka, Kendal) contribute 50% of all power generated.
• There are 17 power generation plants.
• Coal contributes 80% of all power generated. 50% of all coal is being exported.
• A reduction in coal mining has been forecasted from now to 2038. Contracts end, and the big worry is if Eskom will be able to get coal and if there will be mines in operation.

Coal Stock:

• November 2018: 22 days stock
• January 2020: 49 days stock
• Previous management philosophy was “run to break.” This strategy has changed, hence the need for load shedding due to planned maintenance.
• Previous peak time slots to be restructured (alternate morning and evening slots).
• Winter and summer rates (low & high season) to be altered; not sure if it will be for certain. Tariff structures only or across all structures.
• The reliability of wind and sun electricity generation, which could change in a matter of minutes, is a problem during generation periods, causing sudden changes in the load pattern and making the system unstable and difficult to manage.

Market Access Feedback

Contact: Jacques du Preez / Lindi Benic

• Mexico: The Mexican inspector is scheduled for 14 April – 5 June. Discussions with DAFF on methyl bromide fumigation are ongoing. It is hoped to include the 40-day phytosanitary period in both land and in-transit shipping. False Bay Fumigation is an approved fumigation facility.
• Taiwan: An attempt to get the inspector earlier was not successful.
• India: India was delaying the in-transit phytosanitary sterilisation.
• China: The coronavirus has delayed the signing of the protocols.
• Saudi Arabia: A workable solution has allowed PPECB to issue verification before the DAFF certificate is issued.
• Thailand: Work in progress.

CA Engineers Meeting

Contact: Richard Hurndall / Henk Ryke

• A meeting of CA operators is scheduled for 7 May 2020, though the timing may be subject to developments in the country.
• The plan is to hold it somewhere central in the production area; venue offers are welcomed.
• Please express your interest in attending this meeting and provide topics of discussion.

Fire Risk Insurance

Contact: K Bouwer

• K Bouwer gave feedback on the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) meeting attended.
• GCCA provides advisory services to industries.
• Worldwide natural disasters have depleted re-insurers’ coffers. They have rules to protect themselves, which filter down to insurers.
• Cold stores are regarded as non-standard construction and are grouped with food processing operations, which carry a higher risk. It would assist the industry if they can be grouped as a separate category.
• In the opinion of one of the panellists, sprinklers don’t mean much for cold stores. Polystyrene panels are regarded as highly flammable. Flame retardant panels just delay burning.
• CA stores can be divided into different risk periods – operational and non-operational. The latter can be higher depending on what is stored in them. Risks are also related to what is stored alongside and on top of cold stores.
• The next step is to see if there is sufficient interest in creating a separate category for cold stores.

Research Priorities

Contact: Prof Wiehann Steyn

• A call for new research projects for the 2020/2021 season will be circulated shortly.
• Two plastic projects have been identified previously. The knowledge review on plastics may identify further projects.
• The deadline is 6 April.

PAG Disciplines and Coordinators

Please contact the relevant person if you have any queries regarding the PAG.

• Chairman: Koos Bouwer (bouweb@orangenet.co.za)
• Engineering: Henk Ryke (henk@tad.co.za), Koos Bouwer (bouweb@orangenet.co.za)
• Packaging: Dr Malcolm Dodd (malcolm@alaceraer.co.za), Bryce MacIntyre (bryce.macintyre@kaapagri.co.za)
• Environmental Footprint: Eddie Vienings (eddie@bluenorth.co.za), Hugh Campbell (hugh@hortgro.co.za)
• Packhouse Large: Dawid Malan (dawid@tad.co.za), Francois Malan (francois.malan@cfg.co.za), Willem Coetzee (willem@dutoit.com)
• Packhouse Small: Hendrik Claassen (hendrik@bellafrutta.co.za), Vacancy
• Post-Harvest Quality: Dr Elke Crouch (elke@sun.ac.za), Henk Griessel (henkg@tru-cape.co.za), Jaco Moelich (jaco.moelich@fruitways.co.za)
• Logistics: Johan Strydom (pslog@mweb.co.za), Andy Connell (andy@abarc.co.za)
• Communication Strategy: Richard Hurndall (hurndallr@gmail.com), Koos Bouwer (bouweb@orangenet.co.za), Elise-Marie Steenkamp (elise-marie@hortgro.co.za)
• PPECB: Bernardus Henning (bernardush@ppecb.com)
• FPEF: Werner van Rooyen (werner@fpef.co.za)
• DAFF:
  • Director: Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Billy Makhafola (BillyM@daff.gov.za)
  • Regional Manager: NPPPIS WC Directorate: Inspection Services, Gcobani Tsako (GcobaniT@daff.gov.za)
• Hortgro: Jacques du Preez (jacques@hortgro.co.za), Lindi Benic (lindi@hortgro.co.za)
• Research: Prof Wiehann Steyn (wiehann@hortgro.co.za)