6.5. Transportation and Cool Chain System:
For the domestic market where demand of whole pomelo is much higher than for fresh cut,
the traders or middlemen mostly use normal trucks for transport of pomelo from producers to the
market. For the domestic fresh cut pomelo, the operator has to deliver the product to the
department store as soon as possible after final packing. There is normally no cool chain and the
operator delivers only day by day to ensure the fresh look and unspoiled outer appearance of
their product.
For exported whole fruit the cool chain system starts only when all final boxes have been
loaded into the reefer container. Normally the temperature control is set at 10’C at all time of
transportation. The fruit can be kept with an uninterrupted cool chain for at least 2-3 months. The
shelf life of whole pomelo can be up to a year without an effect to the internal quality which is
possible if the fruit is intended for fresh cut, but the outer appearance of the peel suffers after 2-3
months.
For fresh cut pomelo, the uninterrupted cool chain is very important. This market segment is
still small and the exporter normally exports by air freight together with other fresh fruit and
THAI POMELO - VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO EU MARKETS 37
vegetable products. There are reports on disruption of the cool chain at airport and customs
handling in Bangkok