Below are some examples of packaging items;
1. Baskets: This is the most commonly used packaging item, by local farmers in Nigeria. Baskets are made from palm fronds or bamboo. It allows good ventilation for the farm produce.
Because of the open nature of baskets, farm produce carried over a long distance, could be attracted by insects, and cause damage to the farm produce.
2. Cages: These are made from palm fronds. It could also be made of wood, plastic, or metal materials. Cages are durable and efficient for transporting live animals with small body sizes.
Cages are used for packaging guinea fowls, broilers, turkeys, culled chicken layers, ducks rabbits, etc, for easy transportation and marketing.
3. Trays: Eggs, Apples, and some other fruits are packaged in trays or crates. Egg trays are made of paper cardboard or plastic materials.
Egg trays vary in size, but the most common has thirty holes, arranged in rows of six. Trays ensure easy handling, good management, and transportation without much damage.
4. Sacks or Bags: This is the most commonly used material for the packaging of farm produce. It is made of various materials like Jute and polythene. Jute bags are used for packaging cowpea, maize, onion, sweet potatoes, rice, groundnuts, dried cocoa beans, etc.
Jute bags have good ventilation which is of great benefit to farm produce. Polythene bags are used for packaging seeds for planting, fresh meat, fish, and frozen chicken for storage and transportation to the market, for sale.
5. Boxes: Boxes are used for packaging fruits such as oranges, mangoes, bananas, grapefruits, guavas, lemons, etc. Boxes are made from wood, carton, and plastic materials. Wooden boxes are strong and firm.
The inside of a plastic box is lined with paper, that is folded over the fruits, before closure. The folded paper protects the farm produce from dust and water condensation.
6. Drums and Barrels: These are metal containers, used for packaging liquid farm produce, such as palm wine, groundnut oil, melon oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil, vegetable oil, and coconut oil, for easy transportation and marketing.
7. Polythene Bags: These are also known as plastic bags, made from polythene. They are used for packaging fruits, vegetables, smoked fish, grains, etc. It gives room for easy inspection of content by buyers.
8. Plastic Container: These are made from treated rubber. They are ideal for food packaging because they have high resistance to breakage, they are less expensive, light in weight, and are waterproof in nature.
They are used for packaging milk, fruit juice, palm oil, groundnut oil honey, etc.
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