Dr. Sreekanta Sheel presented on packaging and transportation problems and opportunities in horticultural supply chains. He outlined existing practices that cause high post-harvest losses, such as improper packaging leading to bruising and decay. He suggested best practices like plastic crates and passive modified atmosphere packaging to reduce losses. However, constraints include a lack of training, credit access, and coordination across the supply chain. Recommendations included introducing improved technologies through subsidies and awareness programs while strengthening collaboration among stakeholders.

1. Dr. Sreekanta Sheel
B.Sc. Agril. Engg - with major in Food Technology
M.Sc. (Agril. Engg) in Food Technology,
Ph.D in Food Technology
Logistics (Transportation & Storage) Expert
Supply Chain Development Component, NATP
Hortex Foundation
Packaging and Transportation
Problems and Opportunities
in Horticultural
Supply Chain

2. Outline of the Presentation
 Introduction
 Existing Packaging and Transportation System
 Effect of Improper Packaging and Transportation
 Post-harvest Loss of Fruits and Vegetables
 Suggested Best Practices for Appropriate Packaging
and Storage
 Constraints in Introduction of Improved Technology
on Packaging, Transportation and Storage
 Recommendation
 Conclusion

3. Introduction
Aspect Changing
Speed
Attempt
Population (Need) High
but Limited Control
Productivity of crops
High
but Limited Success
Cultivable Land Very Low
and Out of Control
Post-harvest Loss of
crops
(Double tin compare to the
Developed Country)
Very Low
Scope for Intervene !
Hence, It is more important
to reduce post-harvest loss
than to increase productivity only !!

4. Existing Packaging and Transportation System being
major cause for the Postharvest loss-
At Farmer’s
Level
(transportation
from farmers’
yard to
assembly
market)

5. At Traders Level
(transportation
from assembly
market to
wholesale
market)
Existing Packaging and Transportation System being
major cause for the Postharvest loss!
An amount of
400-500 kg

6. Packaging and Transportation of Cut
Flowers for Domestic Marketing
Wrapping with jute sack
Bamboo-mat boxes

7. Effect of Improper Packaging and Transportation of
horticultural produces
Lack of aeration due to compression and poor
ventilation hinder removal of heat , carbon-di-
oxide and water and entrance of oxygen
Causes:
high heat development in the package,
the produces overripe or softens;
produce wilts and develops off-flavours;
decay develops rapidly; and consequently
the shelf-life reduces and the quality
deteriorates in the produces

8. Effect of Improper Packaging (Contd…)
•Exposure of packages to external heat, causes
deteriorations
•Exposure to rain or high humidity;
•Sharp objects of the packaging materials bruise
the produces
•Throwing or dropping of packages, sudden starting
or stopping of vehicle, vibration of the vehicle,
speeding loaded vehicle on rough road cause
damage the produces
•Oversized containers, containers overfilled or
stacked too high or both, collapse of stacked
containers during transport deteriorate the shelf-life
and quality of the produce

9. Post-harvest Loss of Fruits and Vegetables (for the Year 2006-07)
Post-harvest Loss (%) Total
Crops
Production
(MT)
Producer Collector Wholesaler Retailer Total
PH loss
of Crops
(MT)
Price Per MT
(Tk in '000')
Total Price
(Tk in '000‘)
Mango (In Garden) 259120 2 5 22 4 33 85510 40 3420400
Pineapple (06-07) 238360 2 4 8 4 18 42905 25 1072625
Banana 1004520 2 4 8 6 20 200904 25 5022600
Papaya (In Garden) 33855 6 10 15 4 35 11849 25 296225
Lime (In Garden) 13835 4 8 14 2 28 3874 30 116220
Beans 82980 4 6 13 5 28 23234 20 464680
Carrot 9855 3 6 12 4 25 2464 15 36960
Cabbage 182685 4 7 9 5 25 45671 10 456710
Bitter gourd 34445 4 6 11 6 27 9300 20 186000
Tomato 136935 5 10 15 7 37 50666 15 759990
Okra 38715 3 10 13 8 34 13163 15 197445
Eggplant 110910 2 5 6 7 20 22182 12 266184
Chilies 153955 2 3 5 4 14 21554 50 1077700
Potatoes 5167000 3 4 12 6 25 1291750 10 12917500
Average % Loss 3.3 6.3 11.6 5.1 26.4
Total 7467170 1825026 26,29,1239

10. Suggested Best Practices for Appropriate
Packaging and Storage
1. Plastic Crate
A. Non-nesting Plastic Crates (Partly Introduced)
Bengal Model: BW – 402

11. B. Nesting Plastic Crates

12. C. Foldable Plastic Crates

13. Description
Use of poly
sacks
Use of plastic
crates
1) Capacity per truck load
Number of units transported 80 bags 125 crates
Average weight of vegetables per unit 50 kg 20 kg
Total capacity 4,000 kg 2,500 kg
2) Unit price of a package (LKR)
30.00 per
bag
527.00 per
crate
3) Lifespan of package 2 journeys 240 journeys
4) Farm-gate purchasing price of
vegetables (LKR)
25.00 per
kg 27.00 per kg
5) Transport cost (LKR)
Keppettipola to central market 2,500.00 2,500.00
Return journey - 625.00*
6) Handling charges (LKR) 6 6
7) Selling price of vegetables (LKR) 30 37
Cost Benefit Analysis of Using Poly-sacks and
Plastic Crates in Sri Lanka

14. Cost Benefit Analysis of Using Poly-sacks and Plastic
Crates in Sri Lanka (Contd…)
Description
Use of poly
sacks
Use of plastic
crates
Capital cost:
1) Total cost of packages (LKR) 2,400.00 65,876.00
Fixed cost:
1) Depreciation of packages (LKR) 1,200.00 274.00
Description
Use of poly
sacks
Use of plastic
crates
Variable Cost:
1) Total transport cost (LKR) 2,500.00 3,125.00
2) Loading and unloading cost (LKR) 960.00 1,500.00
3) Cost of vegetables (LKR) 100,000.00 67,500.00
Total cost (LKR) 104,660.00 72,399.00
Total revenue (LKR) 120,000.00 92,500.00
Net profit (LKR) 15,340.00 20,100.00

15. Cost Benefit Analysis of Using Poly-sacks and Plastic
Crates in Bangladesh
NatureofPackage
*Vegetablestobetransported(kg)
Purchasepriceperkg(Tk.)
CapacityofPackage(kg)
PriceperPackage(Tk.)
Packagingcost(Tk)
TransportationCost(Tk.)
TotalCostofPack+Trans(Tk.)
OverheadCostperkg
TotalOverheadcost(Tk.)
TotalOperationgCost(Tk.)
PHLoss(%)
VegObtainedafertranspor-tation(kg)
Salepriceperkg(Tk.)
TotalSaleprice(Tk.)
Totalprofit(Tk.)
Profitability(%)
BambooBasket
andSack
10400 10 80 70 9100 6500 15600 0.15 1560 121160 3
1008
8
18 172505 51345 42.4
Plastic
Crate
7000 10 18 5 1944 10000 11944 0.15 1050 82994 1 6930 20 131670 48676 58.7

16. 2. Ice Packaging with Styrofoam Box

17. 3. Passive Modified Atmosphere Packaging (PMAP)
PMAP with cling wrapping
PMAP with perforated polythine

18. 4. Packaging of Fresh Cut (Minimally Processed) Fruits
and Vegetables

19. 5. Ice Packaging of Cut Flower Using Insulated
Fiberboard Carton

20. 6. Cut Flower Packaging in Plastic Crates
• Bengal Polymer Wares Ltd. is manufacturing plastic crates
(Model: BW – 407) which can be suitably used as transport
package for cut flower.
•This crate can be also used in the other product transportation,
storage and handling.
Bengal Crate: Model: BW – 407

21. 7. Reinforced CFB Carton for Gladiolus and
Tuberose:
8. Gerbera Cups

22. 9. Packaging of Rose

23. 10. Introduction of Rose Cap
Scope for establishing
enterprise for
manufacturing the rose cap

24. 11. Storage of Horticultural Produces at Zero
Energy Evaporative Cooler (IARI Model)

25. 12. CoolBot technology for small scale cold
rooms
A small-scale option of cold room
using a modified room air
conditioner (developed by Boyett
and Rohrbach in 1993.)
The cost of installation of a
CoolBot technology for a 20 m2
small scale cold rooms having
capacity of 6 MT pptato is around
US$ 5000.00 only.
The coolbot technology utilizes a
typical window type air
conditioning unit to create a cold
room capable of 0oC temperatures.
Inside the Coolbot cold room
Source:
WFLO Grant Final Report,2010
Further Information:
http://www.storeitcold.com/

26. Costs and Benefits of the Small-scale Cold room with
CoolBot technology in India for Potato Storage
COSTS
20m2 Cold room with air conditioner & CoolBot (6MT capacity) $4300
Capital costs (initial investment assuming no labor cost) $4300
Electricity for initial cooling ($85 per MT, $0.09/kWh) $ 510
Electricity $18 per month for 3 months, $0.09/kWh at 7 C $ 54
World Food Logistics Organization Grant Number 52198 257
Recurring costs
$564
Relative total cost $ 4864*
EXPECTED BENEFITS
% losses 30% 5%*
Amount for sale 4200 kg 5700 kg
Market value/kg $0.10 $0.40
Total market value of one load $420 $ 2280
Market value – recurring costs $420 $ 2280- $564= $1716
Relative profit for one load stored for 4 months + $ 1296

27. Constraints in Introduction of Improved Technology on
Packaging, Transportation and Storage
 Inadequacy of extension activity of appropriate
post-harvest technologies for fruits and vegetables;
 Technical manpower, research and development
activities are deficient and inadequate;
 Insufficiency of training and demonstration
activities and centers for fostering
entrepreneurship;
 Inadequacy of credit facilities at reasonable
interest rates, for growers and traders;
 Inadequacy of transport facilities create serious
bottlenecks in the marketing of fruits, vegetables
and cut flowers;

28. Constraints (Contd…)
 Poor road and market infrastructure coupled with
lack of technical know-how also result in high
post-harvest losses;
 Absence of quality consciousness among
consumers, leads to preference for poor quality
and unsafe produce which is generally less costly;
 Little sharing of information among farmers,
traders, processors, researchers and extensionists
on appropriate post-harvest technologies;
 Poor linkages between Chambers of Commerce,
industries, research institutions and extension
agencies.

29. Recommendation
 Introduce the best practices on appropriate packaging and storage
technologies by the concerned projects and line agencies
 Subsidy should be provided in manufacturing, promotion, introduction and
extension of plastic crates to save the valuable agril. produces as that is being
provided in cases of fertilizer and diesel in production of the commodities
 Appropriate national policies to be designed ensuring use of improved package to
address these issues if post-harvest losses are to be reduced .
 A platform of networks should be created among growers, local traders ,
wholesalers, retailers, package manufacturer and suppliers and technology
providers
 Financial and technical support for the development of packaging industries is
required particularly subsidy on plastic granule.
 Initiate and coordinate awareness and training programs for producers and stake
holders on packaging & transportation and reducing post-harvest losses
 Finally every step of the supply chain should be controlled. Cooperation among
producers, collectors, traders, transporters, retailers and government are the key
to achieving good management in post-harvest loss reduction.

30. Thank You