RIRDC Short Report:
Managing post-harvest temperature in cut flowers: a review of overseas practices

Introduction: the major problems

Australia's export cut flower temperature management practices in the post-harvest handling chain have been singled out as one the major problems confronting the industry, according to a research report commissioned by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.

The report, Managing Post-harvest Temperature in Cut Flowers: A review of Overseas Practices, was prepared by Dr Daryl Joyce, Department of Plant Production, The University of Queensland, Gatton College.

The report says that good temperature management is fundamental to the post-harvest handling of all fresh produce, and that the industry would benefit from improved knowledge and the application of improved practices.

By and large, Australian exporters are aware of the importance of good temperature management and many strive to achieve these goals. However, their efforts are being frustrated by poor practices at the farm level in Australia and throughout post-harvest handling overseas.

Background: applying the right principles

While the principles of good temperature management practices are well established, they are not being applied throughout the post-harvest handling chain for Australian floriculture products, according to the report.

As part of the project, Dr Joyce reviewed earlier published research on temperature management, surveyed and interviewed Australian exporters, and interviewed selected research and industry people in The Netherlands, Israel and California.

The report says that most Australian exporters are aware of the fundamental importance of good temperature management, and that a number clearly strive to achieve this objective.

However, their efforts are sometimes being frustrated by poor practices at the farm level in Australia and throughout the handling chain overseas.

The report notes that the factors limiting good temperature management at the domestic level overseas have largely been overcome. The Netherlands, Israel and California have co-operative arrangements in place which give relatively small growers access to state of the art cooling and coolstorage facilities; bigger growers use their own facilities.

Given this, and the fact that refrigerated transport is the rule rather than the exception overseas, the issue facing Australian exporters with respect to temperature management in receiving countries is seemingly one of a lack of interest or will.

To address this, the industry should look to securing greater a financial commitment from the importers through measures such as joint ventures, improving communication with importers and ensuring a greater understanding of the post-harvest characteristics of Australian flowers.

The report acknowledges that addressing these issues will involve considerable expense, but says it is a commitment which should be made if Australia is to maintain and expand its cutflower exports.

Many of the problems in this area stem from a lack of knowledge. Information on the relationships between temperature and time and quality is inadequate. In addition, the temperature profiles associated with exporting to differing markets or in differing systems, have never been thoroughly documented.

Without this information, the report says, the industry is not in a position to conduct an informed cost-benefit analysis of moving down this path.

Recommendations and implementation:
the need for a multi-pronged strategy

The report has called for a multi-pronged research and development and extension strategy to help the industry maximise its potential through effective temperature management throughout the handling chain.

The recommendations focused on four areas:

• Research and Development,
• Extension, Education and
• Implementation.

The report called for a concerted research and development program on temperature management. This program should be directed at providing the industry with:

• data on the consequences of inadequate temperature control;
• a data base of temperatures experienced during export; and
• new and improved means of maintaining low temperature during export.

In relation to extension, the report called for a dedicated Australian program for the management of export cut flowers to:

• reinforce generally accepted principles of good temperature management; and
• 'convert' data generated through R&D into a popular format.

These activities, the report says, should be balanced by an education program aimed at ensuring that all those involved in the handling of export cutflowers are aware of the principles of good temperature management.

And, as a matter of urgency, these R&D, extension and education initiatives should be underpinned, by implementing:

• cooling and recooling operations wherever appropriate. For example, at overseas airports in the handling chain;
• negotiations with the Australian Government, the Federal Airports Corporation and the airlines aimed at securing cool storage and f.a.c. (forced air cooling) facilities at all Australian airports that handle flower consignments;

• careful scheduling for speedy post harvest handling; and
• cooperative arrangements among growers to provide central packhouse; and
• facilities.

Terms of Reference: defining,
assessing and reporting

The project's terms of reference were to:

• define the extent, commercial significance and implications of temperature control problems during post-harvest handling and transport of Australian cutflower exports;
• provide information on commercial approaches to post-harvest temperature control practised by the world cutflower trade;
• assess the effectiveness of existing, and the opportunities for improved, commercial temperature management as practised by the Australian cutflower industry; and
• report on cutflower temperature management research overseas, and on potential collaborative research and development links.