Cape Reefers scores unblemished record for in-transit sterilisation

Ray Smuts TWO YEARS down the line reefer shipping company Cape Reefers is building on its reputation which includes a 100% success rate for in-transit sterilisation shipments to the East coast of the United States. “In-transit sterilisation is one of the most challenging programmes out of South Africa,” says Gerhard van Heerden, m.d. of Cape Reefers, a dedicated reefer shipping company primarily focused on South African fruit exports and currently handling around 30% of total fruit export shipments In the case of citrus, for example, the fruit has to be kept at a constant minus point 6 degree celsius temperature for 22 days from the time of certifying by the Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB). It is subject to on-arrival checks by the US Department of Agriculture. Pointing to last year’s Spanish clementine dilemma where substantial shipments to the US were discovered containing live Medfly larvae and the Spanish programme stopped, Van Heerden says it is for that reason that the programme to the US must never be under-estimated. During the past season, he says, there was a swing away from containers to conventional reefer ships to the US market due to the success rate of Cape Reefers, As the company approaches its third year, focus will be very much on involvement in the total fruit supply chain. “Our involvement must start at depot level because if control can begin there one’s success rate on the ship will be much greater.” Van Heerden foresees growth in citrus and grape exports in 2003 although the anticipated 17.2 million cartons of seedless grapes from the Orange River Valley will be down by about 1 million cartons due to hail.