Nectarines Packing

Although Panmure Orchard is a family owned business, it is very well established and they have very huge orchards. Besides cherries, they have nectarines, peaches and apple orchards too. To our joy, we have the chance to pack nectarines when cherry season ends.

Nectarines and peaches are the same species, but they are regarded as different fruits commercially. In contrast to peach whose fruits present the characteristic fuzz on the skin, nectarines are characterised by the absence of fuzz on the skin.

The machines for nectarines packing are different with cherry packing. This is the first year Shirley is trying out their new machines; a machine that can discard the rubbish nectarines, and sort them into different sizes. Freshly-picked nectarines can't be packed immediately, unlike cherries. They have to be stored in a cold room for a few days. The purpose is for the fruits to be hardened and make us easier to spot the bruise on the fruit.

First, nectarines are placed on the conveyor belt. One or two person have to monitor the nectarines here, to discard those fruits who have very obvious bruise, or already rotten.

Fruits from the bin

There are different packaging for nectarines. The big one will drop onto this round plate, for us to choose and place them in a box.

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Rubbish nectarines

Another machine to cover the nectarines punnet with plastic

All these are rejected nectarines --> Rubbish

This is my job - wait for the nectarines to drop, then pack them into a punnet

Before I worked here, I never know what nectarine is. It is glad that after we ate endless cherries, it's the time for us to eat nectarines now! There are yellow nectarines and white nectarines; and we prefer the white nectarines because it is sweeter. During the first day of packing nectarines, we chose those flawless nectarines to be eaten. Soon, we discovered that they are not ripen enough, the real nectarines which taste good is those which is already ripen and meant to be throw away. Averagely, we ate 3 - 5 nectarines everyday, hehe! During smoko and lunch time, you will see everyone munching nectarines in the pantry. This is really a great job!