Citrus Treatment and Packaging

What's New In Industry

Housed in the Citrus Marketing Authority's new shed in Awapuni Road adjacent to the industrial subdivision is a-large treatment and packaging plant which last year handled approximately 47,000 cases of locally grown lemons and oranges.

Comprised of units imported from U.S.A. and Australia, the machine forms a large three-sided square along which the fruit travels to be washed, dipped in fungicide (to prevent fungus rot), washed again, graded for size, waxed (for appearance and for longer storage life), dried, inspected, and packed into cartons. All these processes occur in about 15 minutes, the time it takes a lemon to travel the 110 foot journey through the machine.

The plant, one of three in the country, supplies fruit to most New Zealand centres, but mainly to areas south of Gisborne.

It also handles smaller quantities of apples, pears, and grapes, as well as lemons for juice and peel.