Adding a fiberboard divider to a carton will increase stacking strength. The use of dividers is common with heavy crops such as melons. The dividers also prevent melons from vibrating against one another during handling and transport. Wooden inserts, or fiberboard folded into triangles and placed in all four corners can be especially useful when a carton needs strengthening.

When locally made containers have sharp edges or rough inner surfaces, a simple, inexpensiveinner made from fiberboard can be used to protect produce from damage during handling.

If large bags or baskets must be used for bulk packaging of fruits or vegetables, the use of a simple vent can help reduce the buildup of heat as the product respires. In the illustration below, a tube of woven bamboo (about one meter long) is used to vent a large bag of chili peppers.

Thin paper or plastic sleeves are a useful material for protecting cut flowers from damage during handling and transport. In the illustration below, a packer is pulling a sleeve up over a bunch of flowers before packing the flowers into a vented fibreboard carton. The sleeves both provide protection and help keep the bunches of flowers separate inside the box.