Catalog buyer guide · Orchard and post-harvest equipment
Export cherry and blueberry projects: orchard, cooling and packhouse equipment
Sources reviewed: · SeedMatch Group editorial team
Short answer
Export cherries and blueberries are won or lost on how fast field heat is removed and whether the cold chain holds. USDA Handbook 66 says sweet cherries should be cooled below 5 °C within 4 hours of harvest and stored at −1 to 0 °C; blueberries should be forced-air cooled and refrigerated within an hour and held at −0.5 to 0 °C. Size equipment from these targets, the peak harvest day and the destination's treatment rules.
Cooling and storage targets the equipment must meet
The USDA Agriculture Handbook 66 (revised 2016) gives the handling targets below. They are the performance figures a cooling and storage specification should be built around.
- Blueberries benefit from controlled atmosphere of 10 to 15% CO2 with 1 to 10% O2 when held at or below 5 °C, according to the handbook.
- For cherries, controlled atmosphere and modified atmosphere packaging can reduce darkening, acid and firmness loss, decay and stem browning.
| Fruit | Pre-cooling | Cooling methods named | Storage | Storage life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet cherry | Below 5 °C by 4 h after harvest | Room cooling, forced-air cooling and hydrocooling; hydrocooling is the most rapid, and chlorine compounds can be added to the water to reduce decay potential | −1 to 0 °C, RH over 95% | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Blueberry | Forced-air cooled to under 10 °C, graded, then held at 0 to 3 °C within an hour after harvest | Forced-air cooling | −0.5 to 0 °C, RH above 90% | Up to 2 weeks for lowbush, northern and southern highbush; up to 4 weeks for rabbiteye |
Orchard protection: rain covers and frost
Rain at harvest is a major cause of cherry cracking. Oregon State University Extension notes that retractable row covers can be highly effective at shielding fruit from rain but are costly and labour-intensive, and must be drawn back in sunshine to prevent heat build-up; automated systems exist but are expensive.
Spring frost is the other orchard risk for both crops. The FAO handbook on frost protection describes passive measures such as site selection alongside active methods such as sprinklers, wind machines and heaters, and explains that the right choice depends on the type and frequency of frost at the site and on the economics of each method.
Sources: [2] Oregon State University Extension Service, [3] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
The packhouse line, step by step
SeedMatch analysis
Each step below should be sized to the peak harvest day, not the season average, because cherries and blueberries cannot wait for capacity.
Receiving and pre-cooling
Hydrocooler or forced-air tunnels with a stated capacity in kilograms per hour and a pull-down time to target pulp temperature; for hydrocooling, water sanitation and monitoring.
Sorting and grading
Camera or optical graders that size by diameter in millimetres and sort by colour and defects; calibrate them to the buyer's specification rather than the machine's default classes.
Packing
Pack formats demanded by each destination (cartons, clamshells, liners or modified atmosphere bags), labelling and packer identification required by the importing country.
Cold rooms and dispatch
Cold store capacity in pallets, temperature and humidity control matching the targets above, continuous logging and loading that does not break the cold chain.
Utilities
Electrical supply and refrigeration redundancy for the peak week, and water quality for hydrocooling and cleaning.
Phytosanitary treatments and certificates
Some destinations require a temperature treatment, such as a cold treatment against fruit flies, for a given fruit and origin. ISPM 42 sets international requirements for applying temperature treatments as phytosanitary measures; whether one applies, and its schedule, is set in the importing country's conditions or a bilateral protocol for that origin.
Check this before sizing equipment: a treatment applied in transit, in a cold store at origin or on arrival changes cold-room capacity, monitoring sensors and scheduling. Shipments also normally travel with a phytosanitary certificate in the ISPM 12 format.
Sources: [4] International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), FAO, [5] International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), FAO
Project checklist before requesting offers
SeedMatch analysis
- Peak harvest per day and per hour, by crop and variety.
- Target markets, and each market's protocol, registration and treatment requirements for your origin.
- Cooling time and temperature targets taken from the handbook figures above or a stricter buyer programme.
- Water source and quality, and available electrical capacity at the site.
- Grading criteria taken from buyer specifications for cherries and blueberries.
- Temperature logging from receiving to dispatch, and who reviews it.
- Spare parts, service response and operator training for the harvest window.
From specification to request
SeedMatch analysis
The catalog page for orchard and post-harvest export equipment includes a request form for cooling, grading, packing and orchard protection equipment. A complete specification lets the team compare offers on the same basis. SeedMatch does not publish prices or availability, and every offer must be confirmed in writing by the supplier.
Frequently asked questions
How fast must cherries be cooled after harvest?
USDA Agriculture Handbook 66 says sweet cherries should be cooled below 5 °C by 4 hours after harvest. Room cooling, forced-air cooling and hydrocooling are used; hydrocooling is the most rapid.
What storage temperature do blueberries need?
The handbook gives −0.5 to 0 °C at above 90% relative humidity, for up to 2 weeks for lowbush and highbush types and up to 4 weeks for rabbiteye.
Are rain covers worth it for cherries?
Oregon State University Extension describes retractable covers as highly effective against rain but costly and labour-intensive. Whether they pay depends on rain risk at harvest, variety susceptibility and the value of the export programme.
Do I need cold treatment capacity for export?
Only if the destination requires it for your fruit and origin. ISPM 42 sets requirements for temperature treatments; the importing country's conditions or protocol define whether one applies and how.
Does SeedMatch supply equipment or quote prices?
No. SeedMatch Group coordinates buyer requests through a human-reviewed process; it does not manufacture equipment or publish prices. Buyers use the service free and supplier contact is mediated.
Ready to send an equipment specification?
Use the request on the orchard and post-harvest equipment page to send crop, peak volume, cooling targets, grading and packing needs. A specialist reviews each request before any supplier is approached. Commercial projects start at USD 250,000.
SeedMatch Group is the specialised commercial agriculture platform of Global B2B Group, its parent group. globalb2bgroup.com
Each participant remains responsible under applicable law for the requirements of its own role. Suppliers are responsible for the equipment they supply; growers and exporters for their products, registrations and shipments; buyers and importers for import permissions and due diligence. This article is not legal, engineering or regulatory advice.
Availability and the ability to trade depend on the law of each origin, destination and transit country and on the relevant permits and approvals. SeedMatch Group is not a manufacturer, importer, exporter, seller or regulatory approver; requests are reviewed by our team before any commercial introduction. Each participant is responsible for the requirements of its own role under applicable law: suppliers for their products in the origin and destination countries, buyers for their own import permissions and due diligence. We do not guarantee any supplier's compliance. Participant responsibilities · Regulation & restricted items
Related catalog pages and guides
References
Official handbooks, standards and extension sources cited in this guide. Points marked “SeedMatch analysis” are our interpretation.
- Agriculture Handbook 66: The commercial storage of fruits, vegetables, and florist and nursery stocks (sweet cherry and blueberry chapters) — USDA Agricultural Research Service · 2016
- EM 9227: Understanding and preventing sweet cherry fruit cracking — Oregon State University Extension Service · 2018
- Frost protection: fundamentals, practice and economics (Environment and Natural Resources Series 10) — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) · 2005
- ISPM 42: Requirements for the use of temperature treatments as phytosanitary measures — International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), FAO · accessed 2026-10-27
- ISPM 12: Phytosanitary certificates — International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), FAO · accessed 2026-10-27