Motueka Fruit Storage and Research Coolstores

This work includes construction of new coolstore facilities outside the Whakarewa Street site packhouse consisting of three main coolstores and a smaller specialised coolstore. Demolition of two aged coolstores inside the packhouse is also required.

The coolstore facilities are primarily used for the storage of fruit and for small experimental storage trials. Having multiple coolstores gives flexibility in accommodating the multiple crops with differing storage requirements including fruit that are ethylene-sensitive and fruit that produce ethylene. Currently fruit are loaded into the aged coolstores by hand; new coolstores will enable forklift and pallet jack access which will reduce manual handling.