Best Pre-shipment Practices for Transporting Garlic in Reefer Containers. To prevent cargo claims.

Garlic stands as one of India’s most extensively exported commodities worldwide, found in virtually every kitchen. This blog post will outline the best pre-shipment practices for shipping garlic in reefer containers, with a primary focus on cooling and storage and controlled atmosphere considerations to prevent cargo claims.

Cooling and Storage

Garlic has a low respiration rate, making it suitable for storage under controlled conditions. Upon harvest, garlic should be cooled rapidly to storage temperatures using high initial airflow. For short-term storage (1-2 months), garlic can be kept at ambient temperatures (20°-30°C) with low relative humidity (<75%). However, extended storage periods require temperatures of -1°C to 0°C and a relative humidity of 60-70%. Good airflow is essential to prevent moisture accumulation and mold growth.

Humidity Control

Maintaining the right relative humidity is critical to avoid root and mold growth. High humidity can also lead to water loss, resulting in soft, spongy, and shriveled garlic bulbs. Long-term storage demands low humidity levels to keep garlic in optimal condition for more than 9 months. Mould growth can be particularly problematic if the garlic has not been adequately cured before storing. Garlic odor is potent and can easily transfer to other products, making it essential to store garlic separately from other goods.

Controlled Atmosphere Considerations

Creating controlled atmospheres with high CO2 levels can effectively retard sprout development and decay during storage at 0°C to 5°C. However, low O2 levels alone do not inhibit sprout development. Employing controlled atmospheres is a reliable method to extend the shelf life of garlic during transit and storage.

Storage Disorders

These disorders include bacterial soft rot, basal rot, black mold rot, blue mold, downy mildew, fusarium, grey mold rot, macrophomina rot, blotch, and white rot. To minimize the risk of storage disorders, garlic should be loaded into containers at a maximum of 2°C above the carrying temperature, which should ideally be maintained between -1°C to 0°C.

Shipping garlic in reefer containers requires diligent adherence to best practices to avoid cargo damages and ensure the cargo arrives at its destination in optimal condition. Exporter should always take pictures and have export documentation ready proving garlic was properly precooled, treated, packed and stuffed in the container. But sometimes even with the best practices in place, unforeseen circumstances can still lead to cargo claims.

In such instances, quick and efficient cargo claim recovery from liable carrier is essential to recoup financial losses. Companies can turn to Recoupex, to streamline the claims process. Recoupex specializes in handling cargo claims and providing expert assistance to ensure companies receive rightful compensation for damaged cargo.

Recoupex is a hub of transport lawyers – experts in cargo claims. We assess your case quickly. We have successfully recovered claims from Maersk, Sealand, Hapag-Lloyd, Mediterranean Shipping Company – MSC, CMA CGM, and other carriers.

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