It may take a while, but eventually the banana box will disappear and bananas will be packaged in trays. Frits Popma, of Popma Fruit Expertise, is convinced of it. "Firstly in regions where the production is close to the customer, but eventually it will also happen in Europe," says Frits. He is working on the development of a banana tray with a number of partners in India.
"Research was done on the support in India in recent months and everyone is positive," says Frits. "A tray doesn't just save costs, but also waste." Frits maintains that the banana box is unsustainable for two reasons. First of all the price of paper is rising and secondly the banana box produces a stack of boxes no one knows what to do with.
Involving the entire chain
Frits is collaborating with partners in India for the research into the banana tray. He is trying to bring the entire banana sector from grower to retail together to develop a product the entire chain is behind. Al those different interests slow the process, but are important. "For instance there is a tray on the market that is 10 centimetres bigger than a banana box," explains Frits. "This means less fit on a pallet and the airflow isn't optimal." But this isn't new. With the first banana boxes only the firmness when transporting was looked at, and not ripening properties. "They had never seen a ripening cell."
The goal is to develop a tray that is sustainable with good ripening and cooling characteristics and that can also be used on the shelf by retail. "A pooling system has to be set up for the trays. We're working on this, but the concept of a deposit is still unknown in India," says Frits. "You also have to wait and see if you get the right trays back. We opted for a more expensive tray because it lasts longer." There is a comparable tray available with a life of a year.
Multinationals on board
But Frits is not the only one working on this issue. "There are more organisations, from Holland as well, who are doing research into the banana tray. But there is hardly any collaboration and that's a missed opportunity. If we work together, we can supply a better product."
The first talks with a number of large parties in India are planned towards the end of the month. Frits hopes to set up a working group in which all parties involved participate. "There are also some practical objections, including the distance," says the banana expert. He is also trying to get the big banana multinationals on board. "But the sector is quite conservative and there are multinationals who have their own paper factories, so there are other interests at play. It will be another year at least, as we want the banana tray to be widely used."
