Amount to be shipped should be determined before shipment. For the grower, it is important to know that these houses sell your product on a consignment basis. That is the grower assumes all price and product risk until the product is sold. Cost of promotion is usually passed back to the grower. Standardized containers contain an established number of the requested items at a predetermined minimum weight per container.
Standardized containers clarify the quantity of items being sold and the price per pound to be paid.
Shipping without standardized containers may lead to a significant miscalculation of the total amount of money to be exchanged in a transaction. Packaging standards are established by the USDA and enforced by the county Agricultural Commissioner Office of Market Enforcement. These offices are often located in the terminal markets. Contact your wholesaler or Market Enforcement office before packaging unusual products. If the supermarket refuses the box of Washington Delicious then responsibility for the loss becomes solely the growers.