Horticultural News January - February issue

HORTICULTURAL CROPS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Serving the Horticulture Industry
Increase your income by protecting your
bananas from pests and diseases; and by
7 Field handling and grading non-toxic, washable
surfaces shall be made of
to minimize loss of quality.
minimum requirements
materials, which are easy to impervious non-absorbent, The packaging shall be
1. High standards of field
clean and disinfect;
non-toxic washable materials
only selling when the price is √
(d) be constructed to allow
which are easy to clean and
designed to suit the
transport handling system
hygiene will be maintained
for adequate ventilation,
disinfect.
and have capacity to meet
during harvesting
lighting, effective produce 7. The produce handling
market requirements.
operations.
inspection and made of
facility shall have adequate
The packaging material
2. all harvested produce SHaLL acceptable materials;
ventilation, temperature
used shall be able to contain
be at the right stage of
maturity for intended use.
(e) have potable water and
adequate toilet facilities;
control and lighting.
the produce, enabling the
8. Banana all machinery used Production in
required Profile quantity to be
3. Produce shall be harvested
during the cool part of the
day and kept cool preferably
under shade.
4. Harvested produce shall
(f) have waste disposal facilities;
(g) have clear documentation
procedures and document
control systems.
It is the currently produce estimated handling that Kenya is among handled the major as one producers unit. of
bananas in Africa with over 83, 462 Ha. under production which account
facility shall conform to the
Horticultural produce shall
for 1, 583, 143 MT. with a market value of over Ksh. 18 billion annually.
provisions of Occupational
during storage and transport
However out of the entire production, a lot is lost through pest
and
Safety
disease
and
infestation,
Health act,
poor
2007.
cultural plant
be
management
kept at the prescribed
practices and
9. poor The post-harvest produce handling management practices. temperature and humidity
be protected from adverse 8 Minimum conditions
facility shall be designed and levels for each produce.
weather conditions and
applicable to packhouses constructed to prevent entry Horticultural produce and
where necessary pre-cooled produce handling facility
of domestic animals, rodents, products shall not be stored
and cold chain maintained.
insects, birds, dust and any
or transported together
5. appropriate harvesting 1. all processing and
other unwanted animals.
with other produce, which
equipment shall be used for packaging must be carried 10. Prominent signs shall
may contaminate them or
each crop.
out in clean, hygienic and
be displayed forbidding
adversely affect their quality.
6. Produce unfit for marketing safe conditions as set out
smoking, eating or drinking ehicles for transport shall be
shall be separated from
under the provisions of the
within the facility.
built and equipped to ensure
marketable produce at the
Public Health act and the 11. all packaging materials shall maintenance of optimal
field level.
Occupational Safety and
be kept off the floor in clean temperatures to prevent
7. all produce shall be sorted
Health act, 2007.
dry storage areas free from
damage and spoilage of
and graded as appropriate. 2. The working area and
risk of contamination.
produce.
8. Physical handling of produce premises shall be kept free of
Bagging of Banana Batches
shall be minimized at all
waste materials.
Although a lot of work has been done to promote production of bananas
in stages. Kenya, crop protection still remains 3. a major any challenge person in in the the produce production
12. all produce shall move
through the facility operation
in the order that it is received,
Persons handling the
produce must be healthy,
protected and trained on
9. of a high collection quality shed bananas. shall be HCDA and Amiran handling Kenya facility Ltd are shall introducing wear
First in First out.
produce handling.
proven constructed and innovative for receiving technologies that protective will address clothing crop at protection all 13. The traceability of all produce
and produce post-harvest at the management field level. challenges. times. Demonstrations are currently shall be documented
Horticultural crops levy
10. underway The collection to introduce shed shall farmers – to bagging 4. all of hand banana used banches equipment to protect throughout the process chain (processing)
(a) them be accessible against pests to both and farmers diseases during and growth grading and tables development.
shall be
Amiran banana bags are known to have an anti- microbial effect and are
and buyers;
rust free and easily cleaned.
effective in the control of insect pests such as thrips.
(b) be designed to allow for a 5. The floor layout shall allow
A farmer is being assisted by a HCDA officer to install Amiran Kenya
Ltd banana bag on a new banana batch in Meru
Packaging, transportation
and storage minimum
store, an office, working area for smooth flow of produce
requirements
and an appropriate cooling
with adequate separation of
facility;
raw materials and finished
The packaging shall protect
(c) have floors, doors, wall
products.
the produce from mechanical
surfaces made of impervious, 6. The floors, doors and wall
and physiological damages
For further information, contact;
Managing Director, Horticultural Crops Development Authority
Nairobi Horticultural Centre, Airport Road, Opp. J.K.I.A, P O Box 42601 - 00100 Nairobi Kenya
+254 (020) 2088469, 3597362, 2131560, Fax: +254 (20)827264/9, md@hcda.or.ke, www.hcda.or.ke
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