Stacking fruit for optimum air flow and security

• When stacking boxes on pallets always try to optimise the flow of air between the boxes.
• In practice plastic crates, or any other RDT (cardboard) packed for a multiple customer will not allow any deviation from the basic 3 x 2 per layer and will need to be tight to each other for efficient transportation.
• Where an impact can be made is on early season fruit such as Discovery that is targeted for the wholesale market. Fruit quality will benefit from spacers between the boxes to allow air movement.
• Benefit would be gained also where fruit in market boxes moves quickly from the orchard into a cold store and then on to the marketplace in the same boxes.