ASSESSMENT OF POSTHARVEST HANDLING SYSTEMS OF VEGETABLES IN THE EASTERN HILLS OF NEPAL

A study was carried out in the Eastern hills of Nepal during the year 2001/2002 on postharvest handling of four major vegetables namely cauliflower, cabbage, radish and tomato.
Information was collected on harvesting time and methods, timing and availability of transport, grading, pre-cooling, packaging and storage.
The study found that the postharvest losses of cauliflower, cabbage, radish and tomatoes from the farmer’s field to the collection centers were 6%, 9%, 6% and 3% respectively.
The losses were mainly due to spoilage, bruising and trimmings in cauliflower and cabbage, breaking in radish and rupturing and spoilage in tomatoes.
The losses incurred in above four vegetables at retailer’s level were 41%, 34%, 4.5% and 7% respectively for the four vegetables.
Physically damaged, sorted vegetables and trimmed parts were sold at a lower price to feed livestock.
The main factors responsible for postharvest losses were inappropriate packaging, transportation and grading systems.
In view of the above problem an attempt was made to increase awareness of postharvest handling systems by training farmers and vegetable traders and the response was encouraging.
There is a great need for more research and training to overcome postharvest losses of vegetables in developing countries by adopting low cost technologies, which will be appropriate and affordable to the farmers and traders.

V International Postharvest Symposium

S. Udas, B.K. Rai, M. Gurung, R. Thapa, P.P. Khatiwada

handling practices, storage, marketing bodies, losses, training

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.682.299