KENYA · GUIDE 0006 · EDITION 4.2
Spring Onion Harvest and Bunching: Quality and Handover
Put the buyer-approved specification on the harvest record
Before assigning a bed to an order, agree the crop identity, root treatment, stalk count or weight, bunch length and delivery window. A kitchen buying a cooking ingredient may accept a different presentation from a stall displaying bunches. Photograph or describe an approved sample with the buyer’s permission and record where that sample came from.
Follow one bed through to handover
| Stage | Record | Check before continuing |
|---|---|---|
| Planting | Crop, source, bed reference and date | The named material matches the planned offer |
| Lifting | Bed, date, lifted weight and work time | The lot can be traced to the correct order |
| Sorting | Damaged bases, unsuitable stalks and removed outer material | Rejected output is kept separate from usable stalks |
| Trimming | Root treatment, soil-removal method and preparation time | The agreed specification is followed with suitable local guidance |
| Bunching | Stalk count or weight, aligned length and ties | Bunches match the reference and tops are not crushed |
| Handover | Dispatched and accepted count, time and discrepancies | The authorized buyer receives the agreed units |
Do not hide undersized or damaged material inside an otherwise attractive bundle. If equal-weight bunches look visibly unequal because trimming or alignment differs, ask the buyer whether its customers can compare them without opening them. Record the actual outcome instead of assuming that weight alone satisfies the display requirement.
Identify where loss occurred
Soil or damaged bases discovered during preparation require a sorting and handling review. Bunches that were acceptable at dispatch but crushed at arrival require a packing, vehicle or timing review. Stock accepted by the stall but returned unsold requires a review of quantity, display and returns terms. Keep those causes separate.
FAO’s fresh-produce packing-house reference includes green onion in general handling guidance. It does not validate your farm’s water, washing method, storage life or food-safety process. Obtain appropriate competent advice and avoid claiming ready-to-eat status without a system that supports it.
Reconcile the order, accepted bunches, returns, crate collection and actual cash received. Expand a route only when the current order can be fulfilled to the agreed standard and timing.