Rwandan businesses that deal in perishable products are set to benefit from a new passive refrigeration technology that will keep their products fresh for a longer period of time before exportation.

According to Alberto Ghirandi, the inventor of the technology, it is developed for the transportation and conservation of alimentary produce such as seafood, meat, vegetables, and dairy products.

"This system guarantees optimal conditions of preservation and does not use ice or electricity while functioning,” said Ghirandi.

Gihirandi who was meeting private sector operators in Kigali this week, is also the authorized dealer of ‘passive refrigeration’ in the region. He said that he has signed an agreement with Mark Links a company that will act as a local distributor of the equipment.

The technology which does not require freezing of the product but rather keeps them fresh in their natural condition will target both government and private sector businesses and it will help eliminate post harvest losses.

The refrigeration system also operates in Europe, Brazil and United States and it is expected that the first shipment of equipments will be made in May.

The working principle of the technology is based on the capacity to store into high efficiency thermal accumulators the quantity of refrigerators needed over a predetermined period of time.

However, the amount of money to be invested in Rwanda was not disclosed but the officials said it would depend on demand and size of the market.

The equipments include containers, semi-trailers tanks for rapid cooling and transportation of milk.  

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