Experts advise free choice of fruit and vegetable packaging

Almeria producers could save 57.2 million euros using corrugated cardboard packaging that also represents less environmental impact. They are some of the conclusions of the day as containers and packaging factors Profitability and Sustainability of Spanish fruit and vegetable sector, driven by COEXPHAL. The Administration is committed to attendees to deepen their complaint with the lack of capacity of choice.

 Comparative analysis of the costs of packaging study, presented for the occasion, warns that the use of reusable packaging plastic pool instead of corrugated boxes producers supposed to Almeria overruns of about 57.2 million euros.

“From COEXPHAL we believe the sector is losing millions of euros to accept that the distribution chains impose inefficiently containers without prioritizing economic and environmental factors,” said Luis Miguel Fernandez, manager of the Association of Organisations of Producers of Fruit and Vegetables Almería (COEXPHAL). “Our partners are leaders at the provincial level in export volume but we must continue working together to achieve the free choice of packaging and overcome the imbalance between the retail industry and producers and marketers,” concluded Fernandez.

The conference, which has enjoyed the participation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, aims to promote the competitiveness of the sector through comprehensive studies examining the impact it has for producers and marketers of fruits and vegetables the right choice the type of packaging in terms of profitability, environmental impact and food security.

Improve the cost structure

Ramón Tubío, an expert in the food industry economist and author of the comparative cost study has analyzed the marketing of the most representative products of the Almeria horticultural sector (pepper, cucumber, different varieties of tomato blurt, branch, pear, cherry and cocktail branch – zucchini, eggplant and melon) to determine the economic impact on the choice of agricultural packaging. His work concludes that “for the agricultural producer of corrugated cardboard packaging are more profitable than boxes reusable plastic pool,” said Tubío.

Given different metrics, the study finds that using cardboard could be up to 91.17% cheaper for producers. In terms of marketed case, the producer ceases to earn between 20 cents and 1.20 euros if you choose a box reusable plastic pool instead of a corrugated cardboard box, that is, between 2 and 30 cents per kilo if we talk about product. Cost savings from the carton can reach up to 27.58% in terms of turnover.
Ramón Tubío, choose an inappropriate package not only it affects the cost structure.

The package, in addition to protecting the products in the transportation and distribution, can act as an element of brand differentiation and origin. Boxes plastic pool, neutral, uniforms and unable to print, difficult to promote brand and origin and transparency of information about the product. “This factor has a direct impact on profitability and represents a significant loss not only for producers and marketers but also for the Great Distribution” Tubío considered. “It is recommended that the sector make a common front to prevent these distortions that create inefficiencies as a whole.”

This research shares the same conclusions reached in a previous study that analyzed the most representative products in the orchards of Murcia. “It’s a problem extrapolated to the entire sector and most likely we came to the same conclusion if analizásemos other agricultural regions and other types of crops,” concludes Ramón Tubío, head of the Department of Economic Promotion of EOSA Consultants.

Respectful and sustainable business model

Capuz Salvador, Professor of Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, considers it important to promote sustainable business models for all links in the food chain. The free choice of packaging allows producers to opt for more environmentally friendly packaging.

The Department of Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) and theTechnological Institute of Packaging, Transport and Logistics (ITENE) compared a few years ago the environmental characteristics of corrugated containers versus reusable plastic used in the long-distance transport of fruit and vegetables. They took as an object of study tomatoes, the product most exported by Spain, in submission to the main export market, Germany, transporting and using equivalent truckload corrugated cardboard boxes and plastic folding boxes 7 kg. Subsequently the study was extended to the national market and France.

The study concluded that “the corrugated cardboard box has a lower environmental impact than box folding plastic in five of the categories considered (climate change, destruction of the ozone layer, radiation, organic respirable and land use), regardless of the distance traveled and disposal scenarios considered, “said Capuz.

Although the production phase has a greater impact on corrugated cardboard boxes, plastic folding boxes are more sensitive to the effect of the transport distance. On one hand, foldable plastic boxes require transported for phase sanitisation and reuse. On the other, its largest outer dimensions allow less use of payload the truck.
In presenting the UPV Salvador Capuz, investigations of most international published in recent years are analyzed, approaches and assumptions made are compared and the difference in results between them is explained, defining which parameters are critical when performed a study comparing the environmental impact of boxes of fruit and vegetables and what aspects should be investigated further in the studies conducted in the future.

The package, useful key to safety and product life

Containers and any surface in contact with fresh fruits and vegetables represent a risk factor for contamination if they are not in proper sanitary conditions. Catherine Jacquin, head of the Department of Agricultural and Food Hygiene COEXPHAL and speaker at the conference, includes different research showing how some parts of the hygiene of reusable containers are clearly improvable and concludes that the packaging of a single use reduces the risk of contamination.

“The current regulations and codes of good practice contemplate the need for packaging food in clean containers. the risk involved in packaging a food in a container contaminated as specified protocols and quality certifications which is subject to Almeria fruit and vegetable production is evident, “said Jacquin.

There are several studies on microbiological quality of packaging as the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph, or the Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences at the University of Bologna show that some parts of the hygiene containers can be improved, especially those related to the microbial load that can be reusable plastic boxes. Meanwhile, COEXPHAL has also delved into this issue with the characterization work and control of microbial rot in pepper and tomato in postharvest, funded by the Government of Andalusia. “Among the microorganisms detected in the sampled boxes in Almería, in the study by COEXPHAL, are fungi such as Rhizopusstolonifer and Botrytiscinerea that cause rot and damage to fruits and vegetables. This can lead to reduced service life and economic losses, “warned Catherine Jacquin.” Some packages more sanitary quality and absence of phytopathogenic microorganisms involve improving the quality and shelf life,” concluded Jacquin.

Sustainability for Business Success

Friendly products and environmental services are increasingly appreciated by consumers and focus on sustainability is, as explained by the Institute for Sustainable Production – IPS, a competitive advantage for companies.

Spain is a pioneer in promoting sustainability in the business world. The new regulatory scenario, from the Waste Act of 2011 encourages the use of packaging made from renewable, recyclable and biodegradable raw materials-about sustainability characteristics that are reflected literally in the Law-. “The changes in Spanish legislation place producers and manufacturers of packaging to options and opportunities that will affect the success and acceptance of its products,” warned Jose Cabrera, president of IPS and moderator of the table round held after the presentation.

The sector achieved the commitment of the Administration

The concept of “sustainability” was addressed in the field of packaging in its broadest sense, and therefore spoke of efficiency, safety, economy and respect for the environment. And he stressed that the sector agro almeriense, betting on sustainable models, commitment to excellence.

Coexphal partners joined forces to denounce ‘distribution chains, with the imposition of certain packaging reusable plastic pools, are making us lose money. ” The owner of the event was that the Almeria fruit and vegetable producers could save 57.2 million euros using cardboard packaging, only in the products under study. Then this figure could be higher if you consider the total production.

In the comparison between cardboard boxes and boxes of pool reusable plastic, the two containers used in the sector, the cardboard is the option that has less environmental impact, offers greater food security and ensure greater economic return to the producer and marketer agricultural.

José Miguel Herrero, Director of the Information Agency and Food Control MAGRAMA; Teresa Barres, Head of Area General Branch MAGRAMA waste; Pilar Barroso, head of the Public Health Service of the Government of Andalusia and Juan Colomina, CEO of COEXPHAL, contributed their analysis to address the topic of this roundtable.
The union of farmers was raised as essential to stand up and solve the unfair situation which are subjected almerienses having lost the ability to choose the package that best suits their products producers.

The Delegate of Agriculture of the Government of Andalusia, José Manuel Ortiz, joined the debate, and emphasized that indeed containers are key in the income statement and the business strategy of agricultural producers, noting that play a essential role in product traceability and information to move. So he promised the attendees to deepen their complaint with the lack of capacity of choice.

The discussion focused on the need to build partnerships within the food industry to have more strength and resolve these practices involving distortions for the whole value chain. To COEXPHAL, “the situation is bleeding, the pools are reinforced and are wasting money to the farmer and for that reason, the sector has to move.”

It cited the case of successful French producers with the designation of origin “tomate de France”, which rejected the plastic pool and encouraged the use of the carton, more suitable for production. And the case of the distribution chain Wal Mart in Canada, which recently made the decision to leave their fruit and vegetable suppliers freely choose which package is best suited to your product will also be shared. Some chains begin to silvering the implications of long-term container in sales, knowing that for the consumer the packaging plays a decisive role in the image, differentiation and brand promotion and origin.

Several representatives almeriense field of agricultural production assistants, urged those present to unite to deal with what they see as injustice and “put pressure until we get freedom choice of packaging.” Work, from his point of view, it would be sterile without the support of the Administration. Questioned by employers present, the director of AICA, José Miguel Herrero, warned that “if there is the imposition of containers that undermine the profitability of agricultural producers, the Administration can and must intervene.” He encouraged attendees to share evidence and committed, within its scope, to work with farmers to recover their freedom of choice in packaging and coordinate if European action necessary in the pursuit of balanced relations between the various links in the supply chain.

Source: COEXPHAL