Ian van Brouwershaven, ZZ2 engineer and project manager, says the first avocados to be packed and shipped from this state-of-the-art facility will be in February next year.

Apart from packing for ZZ2 the facility will also service the strategic partnership between ZZ2, Mission Produce (one of the world’s most advance avocado networks), and Core Fruit (a fresh produce export company), to provide access to world-class packing facilities and new markets for other avocado producers in Limpopo.

“The facility will help to unlock the potential for avocado growers in the province,” he said. Operation of the facility will be phased in as production in Limpopo expands.

Phase 1 has created a 30 tons/hour avocado packing ability which will be expanded to 60 tons/hour in the foreseeable future. Eventually, the pack house will be able to handle 70 000 tons per year.

“It unlocks the potential to expand avocado plantings to 3,500 hectares which in turn will create 5,000 jobs. He said that ZZ2’s avocado expansion programme extends from the 1980’s. “This new pack house will support future development for the next decade, up until 2030.

”Since ZZ2 is also the biggest tomato producer in the country, the pack line has been designed to accommodate tomatoes during the off season. It will be able to do up to 40 000 tons, contributing to the facility’s cost-effectiveness.

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Van Brouwershaven says it is especially the advanced cooling systems that will contribute to improved tomato quality and shelf-life. “Refrigeration will be further developed and installed as avocado production increases,” he said. At the moment the pack house has a 1,200kW cooling ability and the cold chambers can accommodate 2,000 pallets of 1 ton each.

With ZZ2’s philosophy of “Natuurboerdery” in mind (a way of farming that considers the natural world), the design contributes to sustainable use and re-use of resources such as harvesting of rain water and collecting condensation from the refrigeration chambers.

“The water is then recirculated back into the cooling system.

Also read: ZZ2 tomato juice awarded CANSA seal of recognition

It saves water, energy and the need to put it through additional treatments. He says that waste water is filtered through an artificial wetland and repurposed for irrigation of the surrounding orchards and fields. The whole facility is surrounded by a diverse green belt with newly planted indigenous trees and flora.

In the last few months, they have experienced fauna returning to the farmland, he said. The design also allows for the use of mostly natural light without letting in heat, thus saving on energy. “The roof is built to accommodate a solar power system to be installed and integrated into the bigger electricity network to seamlessly supplement power when interruptions occur.

The floor plan design also allows for minimum movement and handling of people and produce to ensure that logistic costs are curbed. “Equipment was sourced from Spain, France and South Africa and features scanning technology that automatically sorts produce according to class, size and colour.

”The location for the pack house was furthermore chosen for its good security and support services, he said. But most of all Van Brouwershaven is proud of the work of ZZ2’s team of engineers and artisans who creatively tackled and solved problems to come up with a design, building and pack house that is truly destined to be one of a few in the world.