Assessment of Banana Postharvest Handling Practices and Losses in Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess the status of post-harvest handling practices and loss of banana in Ethiopia. The farm level post harvest handling and loss data were collected from 3 major banana producing zones, 5 districts, 10 farmer villages and 14 large-scale commercial farms.  The market level post-harvest handling and loss data also encompassed 19 major towns or market outlets scattered throughout Ethiopia. As such a total of 150 small-scale and 14 large-scale growers, 59 wholesalers/ripeners, 53 retailers and 53 consumers were interviewed using structured questionnaires. Secondary data was also collected from written documents and focus group discussions (stakeholders) across the survey areas. Results of the study indicated that the aggregate post-harvest loss of banana was estimated to be 45.78%, of which about 15.68% was incurred at farm, 22.05% at wholesale (including transport from farm gate and ripening), and 8.05% at retailer or purchase to end-user sale levels. Of the causes of postharvest loss accounted during banana transport from the farm gate, impact and finger breakage damages purely accounted to 20% while the remaining 80% also included physiological and other mechanical damages like compression, abrasion, bruising and puncturing. Being a delicate and highly perishable crop, results of the multiple regression analysis indicate that market distance, duration of transport, storage condition, storage duration, duration of ripening, type of ripening rooms, means of bunch transport, experience in banana marketing, etc. were found to be important determinants of the post-harvest loss of banana in Ethiopia. The study  generally indicate that even though the country has vast potential for banana production, the supply chain is facing several limitations and constraints that include high yield variability, crop management practices, and high produce perish ability and post-harvest losses throughout the handling stages. These points out the need for increased research and extension services as well as improvement in postharvest handling (transportation, storage, packaging and ripening) and marketing infrastructure and facilities.

Keywords: Banana, supply-chain, post harvest handling, postharvest loss, determinants