- C L Pieterse
- Direktoraat, Landbouprodukstandaarde, Transvaalstreek
- 1990
lnspeksie van uitvoerlietsjies het by vyf inspeksiepunte geskied, naamlik: Jan Smutslughawe, Kaapstadhawe, Tzaneen, Nelpruit en Levubu.
Van die 1,5 miljoen kartonne gei’nspekteer is 5% afgekeur. Die hoofredes vir afkeuring was letsels (49%), oneweredige grootte, nie vol verpak nie en bederf. Op die buitelandse marke is probleme ondervind met bederf asook oor- en onder-swaeling. ‘n Bitter smaak is op sekere besendings waargeneem. Kartonsterkte was nie altyd volgens standaard nie.
Summary:
- Export litchis were inspected at five key points: Jan Smuts Airport, Cape Town Harbour, Tzaneen, Nelspruit, and Levubu during the 1989/90 season.
- Of the 1.56 million cartons inspected, about 5% (78,987 cartons) were rejected mainly due to blemishes (49%), uneven sizing, incomplete packing, and decay.
- At Jan Smuts Airport, 5.83% of 421,934 cartons were rejected, primarily for uneven fruit size (34.7%), blemishes (21.7%), punctures or leaks (12.6%), damaged containers (11.4%), and foreign matter (7.3%).
- No rejections occurred at Cape Town Harbour.
- At Tzaneen, 5.55% of 723,349 cartons were rejected mainly for blemishes caused by sunburn, wind marks, and inadequate sulphuring (72.6%), underpacking (20.3%), and small fruit size (6.3%).
- At Nelspruit, 3.24% of 305,061 cartons were rejected primarily due to decay (69.9%) caused by insect damage, foreign matter (25.7%), and underpacking (4.4%).
- At Levubu, 4,320 cartons were rejected mainly for blemishes due to insufficient sulphur treatment.
- Overseas market issues included decay, over- or under-sulphuring leading to bitter taste, fungal growth after arrival, carton damage from poor handling or palletizing, and quality inconsistencies.
- Excessive sulphur (SO2) levels in some shipments posed a risk as certain import countries (e.g., France) limit sulphur dioxide residue.
- Overall, litchi exports were satisfactory, but addressing key rejection causes locally and abroad could further improve quality and reduce export losses.