- Keep cold store doors closed as far as possible.
- Ensure door curtains are in good condition to restrict cold air from escaping and warm air from entering the cold room.
- Use generators to reduce dependency on ESCOM power.
- Provide UPS support for computer systems that record cold sterilisation temperatures.
- Consider omitting plastic bags for cultivars where they are not essential.
- Schedule non-temperature-related actions (e.g., loading pallets/bins with non-partially cooled fruit) during load shedding.
- Pre-cool rooms before storing new fruit to avoid circulating warm air over already cold fruit.
- Fully charge forklift batteries when power is available.
- After power returns, if room temperature is above fruit temperature, avoid forced air cooling until the room temperature has decreased sufficiently.
- Utilise increased load out temperatures for apples (+3.0°C) and winter pears (2.0°C) if necessary.
JGS/PAG/25Mch2019