Postharvest Losses Assessment of Tropical Fruits in the Market Chain of North Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Postharvest loss assessment of tropical fruits Avocado (Persia americana), Banana (Musa spp.), Guava (Psidium guajava), Mango (Managifera indica), Papaya (Carica papaya)   and Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) were surveyed using data collected from 180 fruit producers and 80 traders. The estimated postharvest loss of tropical fruits as replied by the producer ranged from 18% to 28 % and the highest postharvest handling loss occurred during harvesting followed by storage and then transportation and also a total loss from18% to 25 % was recorded at trader level and the postharvest handling loss during storage is higher than both transportation and marketing.  The highest postharvest loss was on Avocado, Tomato and Mango at producer level and March, April and May are the highest loss months of the year for these fruits. The loss at trader level was similar for all the six fruits studied. The major causes of postharvest losses of fruits at harvest as replied by the respondents are harvesting injury caused by dropping of fruits from tall height varieties, finger damage during harvesting, sun burning, harvesting container damage and harvesting immature fruits; At producers storage; mechanical injury, postharvest insects, diseases and physiological disorders; transportation media, sun burning, loading and unloading damage during transport and marketing.  At trader level the major loss contributing factors include mechanical damages, postharvest diseases, physiological disorders and postharvest insects accordingly at storage and overloading, loading and unloading damage, high temperature and sun burning at transportation and marketing. Thus, further research that can reduce postharvest loss of fruits, maintain fresh quality and enhance fruit processing need to be conducted.

Keywords: Postharvest, Climacteric fruit, losses, Market chain, Fruit processing