Importance of post harvest technology for management of fruits and vegetables

Dr Wahengbam Elizabeth Devi, Dr Laishram Kanta Singh, Dr Sougrakpam Roma Devi and K Lily Rangnamei
A significant quantity of fruits and vegetables produced in India are lost due to inefficient post-harvest processes, resulting in a significant gap between gross production and net availability.
Furthermore, compared to other countries, only a small percentage of fruits and vegetables are processed (less than 1%) and exported (Fruits - 0.5% and Vegetables - 1.7%). Fruit and vegetable post-harvest losses are extremely significant (20-40%). Fresh fruits and vegetables lose 10-15% of their market value and consumer acceptability due to shrivelling and deterioration. Without putting more area under cultivation, increasing their supply can be accomplished by minimising these losses.
In contrast to physiological losses, which include variations in respiration, transpiration, pigments, organic acids, and flavour, mechanical losses include bruising, cracking, wounds, and microbial deterioration by fungi and bacteria. Post harvest losses are losses that occur after harvesting.
It begins in the field, continues after harvest, in grading and packing regions, in storage, throughout transit, and concludes in wholesale and retail marketplaces. Several losses arise as a result of inadequate facilities, a lack of know-how, poor management, market dysfunction, or just farmer carelessness.
At least half of the country’s fruit and vegetable production is lost owing to waste and value degradation. The annual cost of waste is projected to be Rs.23, 000 crores.
According to the Swaminathan Committee (1980), post-harvest handling accounts for 20-30% of losses at various phases of storage, grading, packaging, shipping, and finally marketing as fresh food or in processed form.
According to Chadha (2009), India loses 35-45% of cultivated fruits and vegetables during processing, storage, shipping, and other processes, resulting in a loss of Rs. 40,000 crores per year.
The post-harvest losses noticed in India are:
· Farmer’s field (15-20%)
· Packaging (15-20%)
· Transportation (30-40%)
· Marketing (30-40%)
The estimated loss of fruits and vegetables
· Grapes (27%)
· Banana (20-28%)
· Citrus (20-95%)
· Avocado (43%)
· Apple (14%)
· Onion (25-40%)
· Garlic (08-22%)
· Potato (30-40%)
· Tomato (5-34%)
· Cabbage & cauliflower (7-25%)
· Chilli (4-35%)
· Radish (3-5%)
· Carrot (5-9%)
Technologies for minimizing the losses
(To be contd)