Even the best fruit arrives in poor condition if it is badly packed or loaded. Packaging protects produce from physical damage, allows the cold air in a reefer to reach every carton, and carries the information customs and buyers need. Palletization turns loose cartons into stable, efficient unit loads that fill the container and keep the cold chain unbroken. This reference explains the common carton and pallet formats, how a reefer is loaded, and the labeling that should appear on every carton and pallet. For the wider process, see how to import Egyptian produce.

Table of Contents

• Why Packaging Matters for Fresh Produce
• Common Carton Formats
• Pallet Types and Configuration
• Loading the Reefer Container
• Labeling and Markings
• Packaging by Product
• Packaging with PEI Trade
• Sources and References

Why Packaging Matters for Fresh Produce

Packaging does three jobs at once. It protects the produce from crushing, vibration and moisture loss in transit; it enables cooling, because vented cartons let the reefer’s cold air pass through the stack and reach the fruit; and it carries information, from the variety and grade down to the traceability code. Because of this, buyers treat packaging as part of the specification: the carton format, the grade and size, the count per carton and the net weight are all agreed before the first order.

Common Carton Formats

Most fresh produce ships in vented corrugated cartons, with the format chosen to suit the commodity and the buyer’s programme.

Pallet Types and Configuration

Cartons are stacked onto pallets in a bonded pattern so the load is stable and can be handled, scanned and loaded as one unit. The pallet footprint depends on the destination market.

The number of cartons per pallet is set by the carton footprint and the maximum load height, which in a reefer is limited by the airflow clearance under the ceiling. Cartons are aligned so their vents line up into continuous air channels, and the stack is often corner-boarded and strapped or stretch-wrapped (with vented film) for stability.

Loading the Reefer Container

A reefer cools by pushing chilled air up through the T-bar floor and drawing it back along the ceiling, so the load must let that air circulate. As a rough planning guide:

The exact count depends on the pallet type and the carrier’s weight limit. When loading: keep cartons vent-aligned, never block the floor channels, stack only up to the red load line so air can return along the ceiling, and leave the front and rear airflow clearances. Produce that is pre-cooled and loaded at its target temperature lets the unit simply hold the temperature, rather than trying to pull heat out in transit — the reefer maintains the cold chain, it does not create it.

Labeling and Markings

Every carton should carry a clear label so it can be identified, sorted and traced. A typical export carton label shows:

• Product and variety
• Class / grade and size or count
• Net weight
• Country of origin (for example, Product of Egypt)
• Packhouse / producer code and the GLOBALG.A.P Number (GGN) where applicable
• Batch / lot / traceability code
• The buyer’s article or PO reference, if required

Each pallet usually carries a GS1 pallet label (often with an SSCC) summarising the product, carton count, weights and the same traceability references, so a whole pallet can be scanned and tracked. Wood pallets and crates must show the ISPM-15 mark confirming heat treatment or fumigation — customs can reject wood packaging that is unmarked.

Packaging by Product

Different crops need different packs. Some common Egyptian export examples:

• Citrus — vented telescopic or one-piece cartons, commonly 15 kg (sometimes 10 kg), sorted by size and count.
• Grapes — punnets or vented bags in a vented master carton, with a grape-guard (SO2) sheet and a cooling pad.
• Strawberries and berries — clamshell punnets in a vented master carton, pre-cooled quickly after packing.
• Mango — single-layer trays that protect the fruit, often after hot water or vapour heat treatment.
• Dates — consumer packs or bulk cartons depending on grade and market.

Packaging with PEI Trade

PEI Trade packs to each buyer’s specification — carton format, count, net weight, labeling and GGN — and palletizes for the reefer so the load is stable and the cold chain stays intact from packhouse to destination. To agree a packing specification for your market, contact the export desk at [email protected] or +20 109 911 1918, or browse the full Export Knowledge Base and the export glossary.

Sources and References

• UNECE — standards for fresh fruit and vegetables (packaging and marking).
• IPPC — ISPM-15, wood packaging material.
• GS1 — labeling and the SSCC pallet label.
• GLOBALG.A.P — traceability and the GGN.

Frequently Asked Questions