Fruits are an essential part of our everyday meals-a reason why they're a necessity in most homes. People eat fruits to better and boost their health. And most of us depend on the market to get the ones that we crave to eat. Very few have grown fruits on their properties, bringing fruit farmers into the picture.
Most fruit farmers grow large-scale fruits and sell them directly to consumers or other businesses, who then avail the same to consumers. For the distribution to be possible, farmers must find the correct packaging to transport the fruits to the market. Many packaging options are available, but this article discusses corrugated cartons as a packaging solution.
A corrugated carton is made of two liners, with a fluted corrugated sheet in between. Now, as a farmer looking to use corrugated cartons for your fruits, how do you go about the selection process considering there are different types of corrugated cartons? Read on to get insight into this.
Here’s a guide on the selection process:
- Consider The Weight Of Your Fruits
Fruits individually differ in weight, with some being heavier than others. When moving a single fruit, weight is often a non-issue with transport since it’s manageable. However, since you’ll be transporting many fruits at once, weight becomes a concern due to the large quantities.
In this case, you need a corrugated carton strong enough to not only hold your fruits but also allow lifting without tearing. Fruit Growers Corrugated Carton manufacturer or any other manufacturer has various corrugated cartons to choose from. If the overall packaging is quite heavy, settle for a triple-layered corrugated carton and a single or double one for light packaging. This way, you can ensure that your fruits are well-protected while in transit.
- Consider Sustainability
The environment is an aspect most of the population is becoming conscious of, and they’re looking for ways to protect it. It’s said that packaging solutions are one of the factors that negatively affect the environment. That is because the end users of goods tend to dispose of the packaging carelessly.
However, since the packaging is here to stay, you can adopt sustainable packaging by ensuring you choose sustainable corrugated carton packaging. By default, corrugated cartons promote sustainability.
If you're hesitant, ask the carton’s vendor or manufacturer if their products are sustainable. Most of them will have a stamp proving the corrugated carton has been manufactured sustainably. If you decide to manufacture your corrugated cartons for your fruits, use recyclable and reusable material. You can also adopt plant-based cartons; should they get disposed of wrongly, they won’t damage the environment. The plant-based carton will decompose.
By using sustainable corrugated cartons, you’ll be directly protecting the environment, which is commendable.
- Check The Size Of Your Package
Corrugated cartons come in different sizes, hence the need to consider the size of your packaged fruits. It’s essential to match the size of your fruits and the packaging’s size. You'll waste your financial resources when you use large corrugated cartons for your fruits. The larger the corrugated carton, the more money you’ll pay to acquire it.
On the other hand, a corrugated carton that’s too small will make your fruits stick out, increasing the chances of them getting damaged. Also, you’ll likely press them together to fit in the small corrugated carton, an act that might damage the fruits.
Therefore, before settling for a given corrugated carton, know the size of your package. It should guide you on your choice and not the reverse.
- Factor In The Delivery Method
There are many means of transport to avail your fruits to the market. You’ve probably heard farmers and other parties complaining of damaged goods during transit. You don’t want to fall victim to the same. One way of avoiding this is choosing the correct corrugated carton for your fruits.
In most cases, your fruits are likely to undergo rough handling if you’re transporting a few cartons compared to when you’re transporting a whole pick-up. Therefore, choose a thick corrugated carton if you suspect rough handling during transportation. It’ll prevent exposure to your fruits, increasing the possibility of them getting damaged.
Stacking during the transportation is also a high possibility. You want to choose a carton that won’t buckle under pressure or press down on your fruits should another package be placed on your goods. This way, your fruits will get to the market in one piece.
Conclusion
Settling for the proper corrugated carton for your fruits is easy. You’ll have an easy and successful process with an appropriate guide like this article. Therefore, consider implementing this guide to have an easy time with the selection. Should you face any dilemma on choice, your fruits’ needs should guide you appropriately. They’re the determinants during this process.