Because avocados are highly perishable and bruise easily, they must be properly packed prior to shipping to ensure that they will arrive fresh and in their best condition. Here are some proven tips on how to pack and ship fresh avocados.
Before packing avocados for shipping, make sure that they are clean and completely dry. Dirt encourages the growth of bacteria while moisture can hasten the ripening of the fruit and encourages rotting.
Layer the bottom of a sturdy shipping box with straw packing material and arrange the avocados in such a way that they don’t touch each other. Add more straw packing materials between the fruits up to the top of the box. The straw material will provide cushion and prevent the fruits from bumping to each other during the rigorous shipping process.
Close the box and seal with packing tape. Address and label the package and take to your shipping company.
Depending on the weather and stage of ripeness of the avocados, you may want to include heat or cold pack in the package. Unripe, firm or green avocado can take four to five days to ripen at room temperature. Lower temperatures can slow down the ripening process even more.