Peruvian entity opens world’s largest packinghouse
Peruvian entity opens world’s largest packinghouse
CHAO, Peru — As avocado season was set to kick off here in early May, a new packinghouse said to be the largest in the world was nearing completion to handle the tremendous volume that will be shipped to the United States and elsewhere this year and in years to come.
The cavernous packinghouse, owned by Avocado Packing Co., a joint venture between Mission Produce Co. and the Gonzalez Group, has the capacity to handle 30 tons of fruit per hour at the outset, according to Michael Horney, general manager of Peruvian Agritrade, a division of the Gonzalez Group that handles logistics for subsidiaries Arato Peru SA, Beggie, Inagro Olmos and Blueberries Peru. A second packingline is planned at the facility in 2017, which will double the capacity to 60 tons per hour.
Fruit to be packed at the facility is grown on 1,625 hectares (nearly 4,000 acres), split between Mission Produce (1,025 hectares) and Arato Peru SA (600 hectares). All fruit packed at the facility will be marketed under the “Mission” brand, according to Horney.
Following the first phase of construction, the packinghouse, which is entirely LEED-certified, was to have cold-storage capacity for 2,600 pallets, with additional cold storage space planned for the future. There are 18 loading docks to expedite the fruit.
“This will set the benchmark for all packinghouses in the world,” said Horney. “Our goal is to pick one day and ship the next, and this facility will allow us to do that.”
He said that 60-70 percent of the fruit packed here will be shipped to the United States and 10-15 percent is destined for Europe. The remainder would be sent to Chile. Horney said the facility was preparing to meet Chinese protocols, which requires a washing process, when that market opens.
“We believe the market will continue to grow, and we will be prepared to meet the growing demand for high-quality fruit,” said Horney.
Horney said that when avocado season winds down, the packinghouse will be used for blueberries and possibly mangos.
“Our goal is for it to be in operation year round,” he said.
