Growers James Smith and Nigel Bardsley have called for a step up in efforts within the fruit industry to improve the training and competence of store operators.
Their urgent call was made in response to a BEST Fruit Discussion Group meeting reviewing modern technologies employed in fruit storage, including dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) and SmartFresh technologies. The practices associated with both DCA and the use of ethylene inhibitors, such as SmartFresh, bring a level of sophistication hitherto unseen by fruit growers. With the industry striving to extend its season of supply as it seeks to substitute imports to increase its market share, there was a danger that store operators could be left behind.