The pomegranate fruit is picked by hands, either by snapping, or cutting the stem. The fruit is relatively easy to pick because of the relatively low height of the tree, the characteristics of flexible fruit-bearing branches and the size of the fruit.

The fruits must be picked before over maturity when they tend to crack open, particularly when rained on. Fruits are handled from the orchard to the processing plant, or packing houses in boxes in small size operations, but usually in bulk bins. In large size operation an intermediate storage is required before processing the fruit, or packing house treatments before delivery to the markets – both domestic or export.