Figure 4-10 - Process flow for fruit and vegetable canning

4.3.3.1. Production Potential and Supply Chain

Production process

While there will be some differences in the extraction and processing of citrus and other fruit juices, there are a number of common processes that support the economics of combining citrus and non-citrus fruit juice production in one facility.

As a first step, all fruit would be subject to initial inspection and grading, with the rejection of sub-standard product. This is followed by washing and a second grading. Fruit will then be held in cold stores until required for processing, or ambient stores for ripening. For citrus fruit, juice is extracted from whole fruit through crushing, while mango and many other fruit are destoned, and/or peeled and then pulped. Extracted juice is then pasteurised, and either bottled after cooling or further processed for concentrates.

Processing waste (e.g. pulp, peel, seeds, and stones) would be either dried prior to selling for animal feed or sent wet to a local feed mill.

Capacity

To provide good economies of scale for the plant, a target processing capacity of 10,000 tonnes per year (40 tonnes per day) of fresh fruit has been identified. Assuming an equal split between mango and citrus, the plant would produce around 2,500 tonnes per year each of mango pulp, orange juice and dry material suitable for animal feed.

The precise balance between various fruits would depend on a combination of supplies available, stocks and market prices. For simplicity, the volumes identified in the following table are based on the production of mango pulp packed in 200 litres drums and orange juice in one litre consumer packs. While other fruit might be processed at the plant, such as tomato, the capacity and financial assessment just focusses on citrus and mango at this stage.

Figure 4-10 - Process flow for fruit and vegetable canning

Source: SUED Atkins Team