Dried Organic Figs Business

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1 Source: Wikipedia Dried Organic Figs Business Content Background Supply chain structure Agricultural production Harvesting & post harvest handling Raw material purchase Processing & packaging Export & import Conclusions facing key challenges Turkey is by far the biggest producer of dried figs worldwide with an export share of around 75%.

2 Background Figs are fruit from the Ficus tree (Ficus carica), a plant native to the Middle East and Western Asia. Turkish dried figs are of the Sari Lop variety, a sweet tasting fig that is suitable for sun drying. Turkey is by far the biggest producer and exporter of dried figs: Turkey s share of worldwide dried fig production is around 60-70%. Annual production volume is between and tons. Around 10% is certified organic. 75% of the world's fig export is being made by Turkey. Main buyers of Turkish dried figs are the U.S. and EU countries. Fig production has a very long tradition in Turkey. Figs were already used as part of the diet in this region between BC. Today, most dried figs for export are produced on the Aegean coast in the region of İzmir and Aydın, where mild winters (figs can survive light frosts) and hot, dry summers prevail. High temperatures in summer, i.e. higher than 30 C, favour fruit ripening and sun drying in August and September.

3 Source: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen Supply Chain Structure In fig supply chains, middlemen are common, acting as local collectors in close collaboration with processing companies. Following actors are likely to be part of this value chain: In the case of figs, hot summers are key to obtain an optimal final product. Farmers Producers cultivate figs in orchards. After harvest, they sun dry the figs before selling them through middlemen to processing companies. In general, fig farmers are organised by export companies, which hold the organic certificates for different producer groups. Middlemen As local traders, they collect sun dried figs in their region. If possible, they do some grading and selection, and resell them with added value to processing companies. Processing companies They store the sun dried figs in special chambers and do the final processing of the figs i.e. washing, grading, sorting, aflatoxin control, packaging to sell them as a quality product. Foreign buyers They buy and import the organic dried figs, either in bulk or already packaged as a final consumer product.

4 Agricultural Production The Aegean coast has an ideal climate for fig production, as figs require little water and irrigation is not necessary. Also, no serious pests occur ( see next slide). The most important production techniques are these: The hilly landscape on the Aegean coast is ideal for fig production, not requiring irrigation. Orchard design Figs are planted in early autumn. Minimum spacing between plants is 6m x 6m, maximum spacing 8m x 8m. Access to irrigation makes sense if annual rainfall is below 550 mm; yet, too much irrigation can easily lead to fruit and quality losses. Adequate fertilization Fig trees are very sensitive to over-fertilization, which causes fruit fall and consequently yield and quality losses. Moderate application of organic farmyard manure is best practice. Especially when fig trees are grown on slopes, contour ploughing should be applied (to prevent erosion). Caprification The type of fig grown for commercial purposes in Turkey requires pollination to fully develop. For this purpose, male pollen is introduced through wild figs (caprifigs) which host the very small fig wasps (Blastophaga psenes) responsible for the pollination. In practice, farmers hang 8-12 caprifigs into each fig tree to ensure pollination (caprification).

5 In general, figs are quite resistant to pests. In Turkey, there are just two pests that merit certain attention, but which hardly generate meaningful economic losses. Fig wax scale (Ceroplastes rusci) These scale insects are waxy animals between 1-5 mm of size that feed mainly on the phloem of fig and citrus trees. If the population is high, leaves and twigs can dry off generating certain production losses. Occasionally, also fruits are damaged. [ Organic farmers tend to use paraffin oil to fight the pest quite effectively]. Red spider mites Leaves that look unhealthy and with a dusty underside should be examined well. Red spots indicate red spider mite infestation. Fig orchards planted on plains and near roads are more likely to host this pest than orchards planted on hills. [ Treatments with paraffin oil or sulphur are quite efficient] Source: Alex Wild Ants cultivate and protect scale insects, as they appreciate their sweet excrements. Oil sprayings are very effective to fight fig wax scale. Dusty looking leaves are likely to be infected with spider mites. Webbing on the underside of leaves and on the branches indicates a high population. Source: Paramecium Pests & Management

6 Harvesting, Drying & Storage Harvesting Figs are harvested in August, when they are fully ripe. As fruits fall down when reaching full maturity, they are daily collected from the ground, mainly by family members. Drying Harvested figs are then placed on plastic sheets or trays to be dried for 2-4 days, until the water content is below %. Perforated trays are more expensive but keep the produce cleaner while speeding up the drying process with better aeration when the trays are placed above ground (with cm height). A mosquito net should be placed on top of the drying figs to protect them for insects. On-farm storage If they are not collected by middlemen, dried figs are transported in bags or crates to a separate storage room where they are placed into bigger plastic boxes. These must also be protected with mosquito nets. Only fully ripe fruits are to be harvested, for quality reasons and to prevent aflatoxin development. For drying, ideally plastic trays should be used, to be placed above ground, with air circulation.

7 Raw Material Purchase The main role of middlemen is to facilitate trade between farmers and processing companies. Mostly based on contracts, they organize the purchase of products from the farmers and deliver them to the processing factories. Besides storage, sorting and grading might also be done at this stage. Storage facilities of middlemen are also inspected by organic control bodies, and product traceability must be ensured. Storage Pallets with plastic boxes must be wrapped with mosquito nets to prevent the fig worm butterfly from entering. Boxes should be stored in a way so that good aeration is given to mitigate moisture pockets within the storage room causing aflatoxin proliferation. Sorting and grading The dried figs may be sorted and graded with simple vibration machinery. Important: Contamination risk at the level of middlemen can be considerable if they are also involved in other, non-organic activities. The QA team of the buying processing company must take a very close look on how activities of middlemen are implemented!

8 Processing Final processing of sun dried figs involve the following aspects: Grading: Sizes of dried figs range from Size #1 (36 mm) to Size #8 (20 mm or less). Quality control of received produce Every received lot of produce is examined in regard to its quality. Different quality parameters are used ( see separate slide). CO2 treatment or shock freezing To destroy insects and eggs in the fruit, all received produce is treated with CO2 or undergoes shock freezing (-24 C for 3 hours). Then, figs are stored under cool and controlled atmospheric conditions (4-8 C ) before being further processed. Washing & drying Figs are washed with running water to clean them from any foreign material. Then, they are dried again with warm air to a moisture content under 26%. Grading & sorting Special vibration machinery with different hole sizes are used for grading. A final check for colour is done by hand using a conveyer belt. UV light is used to specially detect aflatoxin contamination ( see separate slide).

9 Quality Verification The following parameters are used in quality verification in the moment of receiving raw material at the processing plant: 1st quality parameters Fruit size Humidity Foreign material 2nd quality parameters dirty fruits damaged fruits underdeveloped fruits colour Waste parameters moldy fruits Fruits damaged by insects For dried figs, the verification of humidity levels is especially important, as this relates to the risk of potential aflatoxin contamination.

10 Aflatoxin Risk Management Aflatoxins are poisonous and carcinogenic chemicals that are produced by certain fungi (Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus), which are commonly found in the soil, decaying vegetation, hay and grains. They are regularly found in improperly dried and stored commodities a high risk factor in the case of figs! Bright greenish yellow fluorescence under UV light indicates aflatoxin infection on the surface of figs. Internal infections can only be found through laboratory analysis. Contamination & proliferation Contamination of figs with aflatoxin can start on the tree and the fungus may develop further during and after harvest. High humidity during and after harvest due to (unpredicted) rain is especially critical; also when the figs are stored in humidity that is too high. Mitigation (1) Harvesting of fully ripe fruits, under dry conditions, (2) fast and good drying right after harvest with good aeration and prevention from contamination, (3) use of optimal storage conditions, with low humidity and good ventilation. Important: If figs are properly dried and stored, aflatoxin does not occur. Nevertheless, processing companies are urged to perform explicit quality controls concerning aflatoxin to prevent that contaminated produce is sold and consumed.

11 Shaping & Packaging Dried figs are shaped and packaged differently. Shapes The following main shape types are used in marketing: Natural: not undergoing any shaping process Lerida: flat-pressed most wanted! Protoben: artificially prolonged (which makes them look big) Garland: Lerida type figs packed in round cellophane packaging Packaging Clients specify packaging size and material. Common are: Bulk: carton boxes (up to 10 kg) or bags (up to 50 kg) Retail packaging: cardboard boxes for bigger presentations (up to 3 kg) and cellophane packaging for smaller presentations (up to 500 g). As figs are packaged differently, they are shaped accordingly. Most common are Lerida figs, which have a flat shape (see below)

12 Export & Import Dried organic figs are a high value commodity. Storage and shipping conditions must protect the produce from potential damage. Export and import relates to the following main activities and aspects: Warehousing Final packed and labelled products are stored in a cool and dry place until delivery to the final destination. Logistics and labelling must be organized in a way as to guarantee traceability of the product. Shipment According to delivery contracts, final products are mainly loaded into export containers or trucks. Delivery and paying conditions are specified according to Incoterms, where the most frequent payment arrangement is CAD (cash against documents) in which an exporter instructs a bank to hand over shipping and title documents to the importer when the importer fully pays the accompanying bill of exchange or draft. Inspection & certification Used infrastructure, procedures, and labels of both the exporting and importing company are inspected and certified by accredited control bodies. Important: Even after good processing, dried figs remain susceptible to diseases if not well stored. Especially humid conditions must be prevented to avoid risks of aflatoxin contamination!

13 Conclusions Facing Key Challenges In summary, the main challenge in dried organic fig business is preventing the infestation and development of aflatoxin along the supply chain. This has the following implications to ensure high quality of the final product: Technical advice to fig producers Best practices relating to the drying of the harvested figs are key to prevent aflatoxin infestations. Experts should showcase these practices and sensitize producers to the importance of harvesting at the ideal moment and proper drying techniques. The same holds true for storage, as figs need to be stored under good, dry conditions to prevent aflatoxin contamination. Additionally, nets should protect the stored figs from insect infestations. High level of quality assurance (QA) Given the fact that aflatoxin is highly dangerous for the human body, quality assurance is of greatest importance, within the processing facilities of the exporting company and the value chain (see above). QA s second important role is to ensure that farmers, workers at harvest, and middlemen do not use contaminated materials (e.g. crates, bags).

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