Post Harvest Management of Horticultural Crops

Tips for handling of fruits and vegetables

Handling fruits and Vegetables

TIPS FOR HANDLING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

• Pick all the fruits very gently with thumb and middle finger only
• Never press any fruit and vegetable (Any damage to produce due to bad handling is not visible but damage occurs; however it develops over a period of time.)
• Do not pick banana from the body; Pick them by stem only
• Do not pick leafy vegetables by the leaf end; Pick them from stem only
• Do not press citrus fruits; It damage oil cells present on skin and turn brown after some time
• Do not press ripe fruits like sapota, banana and mango etc. to check the ripening


Examples for checking ripeness

• Papaya – Punch the body with fine needle, if thick milk secretion comes it is unripe, if watery substance comes out it is ripe
• Sapota – Place in your full hand and feel the ripening with slight pressure
• Mango- Press the mango from its beak.; if it hard it is unripe, if it takes pressure/smooth, it is ripe

Growers should follow basic principles when handling fresh produce:

• All labour engaged in handling and transporting fresh produce should be trained
• All cut produce, such as cabbage/others should be kept away from being placed in contact with soil
• Remove or minimise the affect of all likely damage points from within the handling system
• Use methods of padding or cushioning when first filling containers or transport to minimise the risk of bruising or scuffing of produce
• Make certain that vegetables being transferred from one point to another during harvesting or grading and sorting, that they suffer the absolute minimum of drop
• Protect harvested produce from the debilitating effect of sun, wind and rain each of which cause problems especially to crops destined for long term storage.