We had an amazing time visiting the Gillette packing house in Dinuba, CA.
Packhouses in the citrus industry face numerous challenges. Packhouses are expected to provide perfect fruits with the right skin condition, color, shape, firmness, texture, and sugar content as consumers become more selective about their fruit choices. This results in a trade-off between delivering the appropriate quality product while still trying to maximize yields.
Climate change, citrus greening disease, and rising costs of labor, energy, and resources are all challenges for the industry. These obstacles, however, can be overcome with the use of cutting-edge optical sorting and grading machines.
These machines are more accurate and consistent than manual sorting and grading, allowing packhouses to more efficiently meet industry standards and supply demands.
It is a multi-step process that ensures quality and consistency from the field all the way to a grocery store near you! 👐