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Saving ripe fruits from waste with new food products
Published on 27 May 2019
Greece
Dytiki Makedonia
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
The rural cooperative «Dimitra» (RCD) of Velventos deploys modern methods of cultivation, harvesting, packing and distribution of the fresh fruits. In order to save ripe fruits from waste, new products like jams and juice have been put on the market with 2nd quality fruits.
The estates of the producers are located in the foothills of Pieria, beside the lake Polyfytos, an ideal location with the perfect microclimate for the production of quality fruits and especially for the production of peaches and nectarines.
Due to high quantities of ripe fruits, RCD made a partnership with juice factories that are located in Central Macedonia and in Peloponnesus. During the production season, the ripe fruits are collected in tanks and sent to the juice factories.
Through this activity, the producers/ partners of the cooperative have increased their income, they make profit out of every part of their products, without throwing anything away. Thus, from a waste point of view, the A.S.O.P. «DIMITRA» produces almost zero food waste from fruit processing, and their production has no impact on the environment.
The estates of the producers are located in the foothills of Pieria, beside the lake Polyfytos, an ideal location with the perfect microclimate for the production of quality fruits and especially for the production of peaches and nectarines.
Due to high quantities of ripe fruits, RCD made a partnership with juice factories that are located in Central Macedonia and in Peloponnesus. During the production season, the ripe fruits are collected in tanks and sent to the juice factories.
Through this activity, the producers/ partners of the cooperative have increased their income, they make profit out of every part of their products, without throwing anything away. Thus, from a waste point of view, the A.S.O.P. «DIMITRA» produces almost zero food waste from fruit processing, and their production has no impact on the environment.
Expert opinion
The good practice is an example for addressing the issue of wasting ripe fruit from waste. It started using the 2nd quality ripe fruit for making jams and juices. They have partnered with juice and jam factories for this purpose. By doing so they have started a new line of business and increased their revenues. They have also reduced their fruit waste to zero. The approach could mainly be interested to producers in remote areas where access to markets is more difficult and who risk wasting quantities of fresh fruit.
Resources needed
Investments in sorting machines and packaging technologies, producers
Evidence of success
Produce more than 4,000 tonnes of peaches and more than 2,000 tonnes of nectarines per year. More than 170 producers supply the Dimitra co-operative which a majority of young smallholders.
Potential for learning or transfer
Processing of fresh fruits into juices is not innovative per se but offers solutions to producers in less favoured areas where access to markets might be difficult due to low transport infrastructures. Processing ripe fruits into juice is a technological and logistical option that generate added-value in this remote rural territory.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
ASOP Dimitra
Greece
Dytiki Makedonia
Contact
Deputy manager