Transportation Of Fruit And Vegetables In The Eastern Caribbean

T h i s paper examines the features a s s o c i a t e d with the shipment of bananas from the Windward I s l a n d s to the U.K. and f r u i t and vegetables in the Eastern Caribbean. D e f i c i e n c i e s a f f e c t i n g q u a l i t y of produce are i d e n t i f i e d with the system a s s o c i a t e d with the transport by the small v e s s e l s in the regional trade. A l t e r n a t i v e systems such a s , r e f r i g e r a t e d shipping and air-r transport are constrained by economic c o n s i d e r a t i o n s . I t i s suggested that measures for improving i n t r a - r e g i o n a l transport of f r u i t and vegetables need to be focussed on the small v e s s e l systems. These measures must provide for improved l o g i s t i c s at shipping and require i n t e g r a t i o n of a c t i v i t i e s ranging from h a r v e s t i n g , through packaging to loading on s h i p . The above embody t i m e l i n e s s of d e c i s i o n s and d i s c i p l i n e d operations which are best provided for by p r i v a t e sector shippers with i n t e r e s t i n the q u a l i t y of the produce a r r i v i n g on the market.