Logistics Sub-Sector Land Transportation

Participant Handbook 
82 
Unit 5.2: Transportation of Perishable Goods & Reporting to 
Management 
Unit Objectives 
At the end of this unit, you will be able to: 
1.
Discuss the various issues in handling perishable goods
2.
Demonstrate the procedure of handling perishable goods in reefers and maintaining 
appropriate temperatures. 
3.
Prepare management reports, for each consignment on delivery and reasons for delays if any.
5.2.1 Transporting Perishable Goods 
Presently, customers and markets are more demanding in terms of the quality of service, including 
transportation. Transporting goods is a complicated endeavour and more so when it comes to time & 
temperature-sensitive products, namely perishable goods. 
It is a complex task to keep fish or fruit from other countries in excellent condition when they arrive 
at the consumer’s table. It requires 
an intricate, quality system throughout the entire logistics process, 
from origin to the final point of distribution. 
A perishable good can be described as any 
product in which quality deteriorates due to environmental 
conditions through time
, such as 
meat and meat by-products, fish and seafood, dairy products, fruit 
and vegetables, flowers, pharmaceutical products, and chemicals
. 
Owing to their chemical and/or physiological characteristics, these products have a short lifespan; 
they are more susceptible to severe and irreversible damage during transport, especially if the 
temperature is not kept constant. These products must be treated with the utmost caution and 
efficiency to preserve them and keep them in excellent condition when they reach the final consumer. 
For this to happen, the crucial factors to keep in mind are