Post Harvest Management of Horticultural Crops

Deterioration of horticultural produce

It is well known fact that fruits, vegetables and flowers are living commodities even after harvest and continue to respire, transpire and carryout other biochemical activities. Therefore they are more perishable when compared to other agricultural commodities. The deterioration in harvested fresh produce occurs both quantitatively and qualitatively.

The losses that occur from the time of harvesting of fresh produce till they reach the consumer are referred as post harvest losses.
Post harvest losses occur in terms of

1) Quantitative loss - referring to the reduction in weight due to moisture loss and loss of dry
matter by respiration
2) Qualitative loss - referring to freshness deterioration leading to loss of consumer appeal and
nutritional loss including loss in vitamins, minerals, sugars etc.


Cost of preventing losses after harvest in general is less than cost of producing a similar additional amount of produce and reduction in these losses is a complimentary means for increasing production. These losses could be minimized to a large extent by following proper pre-harvest treatments, harvesting at right maturity stage and adopting proper harvesting, handling, packing, transportation and storage techniques.