TOWARDS THE QUANTIFICATION OF POST-HARVEST LOSS IN HORTICULTURAL PRODUCE

There is, however, a dearth of reliable information on the magnitude of the losses which occur, especially with tropical horticultural produce. Conservative estimates would suggest that out of the more than 200 million tons of horticultural crops (including perishable staple foods) produced annually in the tropical world, a proportion of the order of 25 per cent is lost between harvest and consumption.

The paper reviews the limited information that exists in this field, and discusses the major causative factors in such post-harvest loss, illustrating the principles included with specific examples derived from temperate and tropical countries. The importance of further attempts to quantify the various elements in loss is stressed, and some indications given of possible ways of reducing loss.