19 Mar 2024

The Selebi Phikwe citrus fruit project pack house, with its state-of-the-art machinery and conveyor belts, exemplifies how technology can revolutionise the horticulture industry.

Giving an overview of the multimillion-pula facility, the pack house manager, Mr George Westhuizen, told BOPA that while traditional methods were used for harvesting citrus fruits, it was crucial to integrate technology into the day-to-day operations of the pack house to boost overall productivity.

Mr Westhuizen said advanced technology provided precise monitoring and control over the packing and sorting process, ensuring levels of quality in the final product and also enabled compliance with the industry standards.

“Automated sorting systems ensure that only the finest fruits make it to the packaging line, where precision equipment carefully packages pieces of fruits with care and attention to detail, the use of cutting edge technology is also able to extend the shelf life of the citrus fruits,” he said.

He said in addition to sorting machinery, there was a high speed packing line that handled large volumes of fruit with precision and efficiency, to ensure quicker turnaround times and consistency.

Mr Westhuizen said incorporating technology at the pack-house also enabled the citrus project to compete on a global scale and meet the demands of the modern market.

He said: “Advanced software to provide real-time data and analytics was another area where technology was making an impact.

This allows the pack house management to make informed decisions regarding production, inventory management, and customer preferences, which ultimately lead to better resource planning and allocation as well as improved overall performance.”

Mr Westhuizen said although everyday operations needed a lot of machinery, that did not imply that employment possibilities would be jeopardised.

He added: “There are lots of opportunities to arise from here for people to benefit from.

“This high cutting edge technology should not discourage people from seeking employment opportunities. We still need skilled labour for all the operations.”

Mr Westhuizen said citrus fruits were usually harvested by hand to prevent damaging the kylex of the fruit.

They are then sorted according to size and quality, cleaned to get rid of any debris and pesticide, and graded.

He said it was necessary to undertake all the steps prior to packaging, to make a uniform appearance of the fruits and also to adhere to packaging specifications. ENDS