Last updated: 2026-07-08
Two concepts let buyer and seller speak the same language in international fresh produce trade: caliber (size) and packaging type. Caliber ties fruit diameter to standard millimeter-based codes; packaging determines the form in which produce reaches the shelf.
How to read caliber codes
Citrus sizes use numeric codes: roughly 60-110 mm for oranges, 35-83 mm for lemons, 35-78 mm for mandarins, and 70-139 mm for grapefruit, each range divided into codes. Stone fruit uses letter codes instead: peaches and nectarines run from AAAA (90-97 mm) down to D (51-56 mm), apricots from AAA (50-55 mm) to C (30-35 mm). Buyers specify the caliber code together with the product, making the size of every fruit in the carton predictable.
Main packaging types
- Corrugated cartons (5-18 kg): the standard for citrus, apples, grapes, and stone fruit; telescopic and perforated variants exist.
- Perforated plastic crates: preferred for tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers for air circulation; washable and reusable.
- Punnets: the retail standard for strawberries and cherries; 250-500 g punnets shipped 8-10 to a carton.
- Single-layer trays: used for persimmons and kiwifruit, each fruit in its own cell to prevent bruising.
- Bins (300-400 kg): the efficient middle ground between bulk loading and palletized shipment for watermelons and melons.
- Mesh bags (10-50 kg) and retail nets (0.5-2 kg): volume or shelf-ready options for onions, potatoes, and citrus.
Packaging is chosen by product sensitivity, the target market's shelf format, and transport mode; our product pages list typical packaging and caliber for every item. Private label cartons can be prepared to buyer specification.