By Brennan Phillips

Special to the Western News

To help facilitate the demand for peaches, unveiled a state-of-the-art peach and apple packing production line in their South Okanagan packing house.

The installation of this multi-million dollar packing line in Oliver was just completed and saw the first bins of fruit put through recently.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e just six shifts into production with the new line and we害羞草研究所檝e already broken records for the number of bins we害羞草研究所檝e gone through in a shift,害羞草研究所� said Bal Dhaliwal, the operations manager for the south for BC Tree Fruits. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 why we害羞草研究所檙e so optimistic about the new system.害羞草研究所�

The launch of this new packing line brings the Okanagan Valley, and more specifically the members of BC Tree Fruits Co-operative, the advantage of having some of the most advanced efficient grading technology in Canada. The new packing line delivers accurate and consistent fruit quality to consumers across Western Canada and will support the expectation in the market of high quality, locally grown fruit.

害羞草研究所淲e are excited to bring this technology to our grower members,害羞草研究所� said director of operations Peter Hoffman. 害羞草研究所淭his new packing line utilizes an optical sorter that has advanced machine-learning capabilities that revolutionizes the sorting process. The results will allow us to colour map, grade and defect sort fruit with increased accuracy, all with the focus of delivering consistent, high-quality fruit to our consumers.害羞草研究所�

The new line is focused around the Spectrim sizer. Armed with an array of cameras, capable of viewing in visible light, as well as in penetrating infrared light, the machine is capable of sorting fruit by size and colour, as well as detecting defected produce. The new machine eliminates the need for a pre-sizer and cuts down on the number of sorters needed to go over the fruit by hand, allowing fruit to take a single trip from drop off to packaging. The new line has added 14 packing lines for trays, to the four lines currently used for packing cherries. Currently under work as part of the modernization project, six new bagging lines will be ready for apples in the fall, more than doubling the existing four lines.

害羞草研究所淲ith the launch of this new packing line, we maintain our commitment to reinvest in our industry and our growers with state-of-the-art technology,害羞草研究所� said Stan Swales, chief executive officer. 害羞草研究所淲ith this line comes the ability for us to continue to meet our consumer害羞草研究所檚 expectations of premium fruit whenever they see the BC Tree Fruits leaf.害羞草研究所�

The Oliver facility will handle the packing of all summer fruits for BC Tree Fruits Co-operative other than cherries, which are packed in the Kelowna facility. The new packing line will also handle apples starting in the fall.

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