Ship perishables by designing backward from the condition and remaining shelf life the buyer needs on arrival. The product, route, packaging, temperature management and border requirements must work as one plan. Choosing a fast flight or a refrigerated container does not by itself protect cargo during the transfers before and after the main journey.
Establish commodity-specific handling requirements with competent technical advice, then assign responsibility at every handover. This guide explains how to compare modes, prepare documents, manage the cold chain and test the route before scaling. It avoids a universal temperature or transit promise because fresh produce, flowers, fish and other perishables have different tolerances and compliance requirements.
Choose the route from arrival quality and shelf life
Start with the buyer’s arrival specification and maximum acceptable product age, then allocate time to harvest, precooling, inspection, packing, airport or port handling, transit, clearance and final delivery. Validate temperature, humidity, ventilation and ethylene compatibility for the exact commodity. A reefer maintains conditions; it should not be expected to remove field heat.
Map every custody transfer and require time-temperature records. Destination import permits and tolerances must be confirmed before dispatch. Plants and plant products commonly need certification by the exporting country’s plant-protection authority under the importing country’s rules. Duara’s logistics service can coordinate routing and documents.
Ask the buyer to define acceptance criteria in writing, including condition, maturity where relevant, packaging and the time available for onward sale. Allocate the total period across preparation, handling, main transit, border processing and delivery. Include realistic transfer and waiting time rather than using only the carrier’s scheduled flight or sailing duration. An itinerary with a short main leg can still create a long uncontrolled handover.
Compare air, refrigerated sea transport and other suitable options using actual route performance and product trials. The least expensive freight rate may not produce the best saleable yield. Conversely, a premium mode is not automatically necessary when validated handling and shelf life support another option. Review the buyer’s receiving and storage capability as part of the route, not as a problem that begins after delivery.
Control temperature and handling through every transfer
Temperature control must run continuously from packhouse to destination. The vulnerable points are predictable: pre-cooling immediately after harvest, transfer from truck to terminal, time on the apron or quay awaiting loading, and the handover at destination. A break at any one of these can compromise a consignment whose paperwork is otherwise perfect.
Pre-cooling to the correct temperature before loading matters more than most exporters expect, because a reefer container is designed to hold temperature rather than to pull it down from ambient.
Packaging must permit airflow, resist crushing under stacking, and suit the specific commodity, since ethylene-producing and ethylene-sensitive products cannot travel together. Destination markets often specify carton dimensions and labelling, and non-compliant packaging can be rejected at the point of sale even when the produce is sound.
Use a commodity-specific handling plan agreed with the relevant technical people. Define the temperature and other conditions to maintain, how they will be measured and who responds if readings leave the agreed range. Avoid combining products with incompatible needs simply to fill a vehicle or container. Packaging should be tested as part of the handling system rather than selected only for appearance or purchase price.
Map custody changes and waiting locations. Confirm whether equipment is available, who connects or monitors it and how a missed connection will be handled. Keep records linked to the shipment so an arrival problem can be investigated. A continuous record is more useful than a single reading taken at dispatch, but the sensor placement and interpretation also need to be suitable for the cargo.
Complete product and destination documentation before dispatch
Perishable consignments require phytosanitary certification, destination import permits where applicable, and often pre-notification to the receiving authority. Because these have lead times and inspection appointments attached, they must be arranged before shipping. There is no opportunity to resolve a missing certificate while the cargo waits.
A customs hold that would merely be irritating for dry cargo destroys a perishable consignment. Lodging entries in advance at both ends, confirming that the destination clearance agent has complete documentation before the goods depart, and arranging priority handling are what separate a routine shipment from a total loss.
Identify the authority and process applicable to the product. Phytosanitary certification concerns regulated plants and plant products; animal products and other perishables may follow different health or safety controls. Confirm destination import permissions and any prior notification with the importer and competent authority. Do not assume that a certificate used for one destination will meet another’s conditions.
Send the reviewed document pack to the receiving agent before the goods leave and confirm it has been accepted for preparation. Align product descriptions, quantities, lot identifiers and consignee details. If an inspection or treatment is required at origin, schedule it before final packing or dispatch where the process requires that sequence. The Kenyan export-document guide explains how to organize the wider commercial and customs file.
Run a trial and define a response to disruption
- Confirm buyer specification, destination rules and shelf-life budget.
- Pre-cool promptly and validate packhouse hygiene.
- Use packaging that supports airflow and stacking strength.
- Book the correct temperature-controlled mode and contingency route.
- Complete phytosanitary, health, origin and customs documents early.
- Pre-alert the destination broker and confirm cold storage and delivery slot.
Run a trial shipment before scaling. Review logger data, rejects, claims and handover delays, then change packaging or routing using evidence rather than assumptions.
Agree what constitutes a successful trial before shipping: arrival quality, remaining shelf life, handling records, acceptance and actual cost. Review a disappointing result by stage rather than assuming the carrier caused every problem. Product maturity, packing, waiting time and receiving delays can each contribute. Change the process using the evidence and repeat a trial where material uncertainty remains.
Prepare a disruption plan with contacts authorized to make decisions. Identify alternative storage or transport, the point at which further movement is no longer sensible and who may approve disposal or another lawful outcome. Review insurance and claims requirements in advance, including notification and evidence. Neither refrigeration nor insurance makes every loss recoverable. A clear plan helps the parties respond while the cargo still has commercial value.
Frequently asked questions
Do all perishables need a phytosanitary certificate?
No. It depends on the product and destination, but regulated plants and plant products commonly do.
Can a reefer cool warm produce?
It is primarily designed to maintain temperature; produce normally needs proper precooling first.
Is air freight always best?
No. Compare shelf life, value, volume, route reliability and buyer economics; controlled-atmosphere sea freight may suit some products.
What causes most losses?
Temperature breaks, weak packaging, documentation holds, poor destination handling and unrealistic transit assumptions.