a detailed description of post-harvest handling of mango, apple, banana, okra(lady finger), broccoli, potato. It also includes post-harvest losses.

1. Post Harvesting
Management
Of Horticultural Crops

2. INTRODUCTION
• Horticulture plays a significant role in
Indian Agriculture. It contributes 30%
GDP from 11.73 % of its arable land area.
India is the second largest producer of
both fruits and vegetables in the world
(52.85 Mt and 108.20 Mt respectively).

3. What is Post Harvesting Management ?
• Post Harvest Management includes the processes done
immediately after harvesting the produce, including
cooling, cleaning, sorting and packing. The instant a crop is
removed from the ground, or separated from its
parent plant, it begins to deteriorate. Therefore Postharvest
treatment are given to increase its shelf life and maintain its
quality. Thus post harvest management largely determines
final quality.

4. Importance Of Post Harvesting Management
• A considerable amount of fruits and vegetables produced in India is lost due to
improper post-harvest operations; as a result there is a considerable gap
between the gross production and net availability. Furthermore, only a small
fraction of fruits and vegetables are utilized for processing (less than 1%) and
exported (Fruits – 0.5% and Vegetables – 1.7%) compared to other countries.
• Post harvest losses in fruits and vegetables are very high (20-40%). About 10-
15% fresh fruits and vegetables shrivel and decay, lowering their market value
and consumer acceptability. Minimizing these losses can increase their supply
without bringing additional land under cultivation. Improper handling and
storage cause physical damage due to tissue breakdown.

5. Reasons For Losses
• Lack of clear concept of packing house operations.
• Lack of awareness among the growers, contractors and even the policy makers.
• Lack of infrastructure.
• Late realization of its importance.
• Inadequate technical support.
• Inadequate post-harvest quality control.
• Unorganized marketing.
• Absence of pre-cooling and cold storage.
• Inadequate market facilities, market intelligence and market information
service (MIS)
• Poor storage facilities.

6. Major causes of Post Harvest Losses
The causes of post-harvest losses can be divided into different categories:
1. Metabolic
All fresh horticultural crops are live organs. The natural process of respiration
involves the breakdown of food reserves and the aging of these organs.
2. Mechanical
Owing to their tender texture and high moisture content, fresh fruits and
vegetables are very susceptible to mechanical injury. Poor handling, unsuitable
containers, improper packaging and transportation can easily cause bruising,
cutting, breaking, impact wounding and other forms of injury.
3. Developmental
These include sprouting, rooting, seed germination, which lead to deterioration in
quality and nutritional value.

7. 4. Parasitic diseases
High post-harvest losses are caused by the invasion of fungi, bacteria,
insects and other organisms. Micro-organisms attack fresh produce
easily and spread quickly.
5. Physiological deterioration
Fruits and vegetable cells are still alive after harvest and continue their
physiological activity. Physiological disorders may occur due to mineral
deficiency, low or high temperature injury or undesirable atmospheric
conditions, such as high humidity, physiological deterioration can also
occur spontaneously by enzymatic action leading to over-ripeness and
senescence, a simple aging phenomenon.
6. Lack of market demand
Poor planning and inaccurate production and market information may
lead to over production of certain fruits or vegetables which can’t be sold
in time. This situation occurs most frequently in areas where
transportation and storage facilities are inadequate. Produce may lie
rotting in production areas, if farmers are unable to transport it to
people who need it in distant locations.

8. Units Operations in Post Harvest Management
of Fruits and Vegetables
• Pre-harvest treatment
• Harvesting at maturity
• Safe harvesting
• Pre-cooling and Washing
• Surface drying
• Cold storage
• Safe Transport
• Safe Handling

9. Post Harvest
Handling of some
Horticultural
crops

10. APPLE

12. Post Harvest Handling apple includes:
• 1. Selection of variety
The phrase ‘Post Harvest Handling’ is something of a misleading statement because, as
every grower knows, post harvest handling starts not at harvest, but at the very
beginning of production, when the varieties of fruits and vegetables to be produced are
selected. The choice of apple variety – with natural characteristics for long storage life
and resistance to transport damage – are as important as any work or process that is
carried out in an orchard before harvest, during the harvest, or whilst handling or
storing crops after harvest.
• 2. Orchard Management
Apple quality and the length of post harvest or marketing life of apples, (ie the number
of weeks apples will remain in good condition), are both significantly affected by
production activities that take place in orchards in the months and weeks before
harvest.
• 3. Fruit Management During and after Harvest
Gentle care and attention provided for apples during harvest, transport, storage and
packing is crucial to:
• the length of good quality marketing life that can be achieved,
• the ease with which fruit can be sold
• the price which it will achieve.

13. Value added products made from apple

14. BANANA

16. • Bananas are harvested all year round. Fruit is harvested, packed and
marketed while still green.
• Ripening is usually done at the wholesale markets.
• Harvesting bananas is hard work and involves carrying heavy bunches,
which often weigh more than 50 kg, to field trailers. Particular care and
training is needed to avoid injuries to workers and damage to the fruit.
• Care needs to be taken to avoid bruising the fruit between harvest and
market. Always use padding to protect bunches during transport to the
packing shed. Specially designed bunch trailers are generally used.
• Bananas deteriorate rapidly in hot sun, reducing their shelf life. They
should be harvested quickly and kept shaded while in the field. It is best to
cool the fruit quickly by getting packed fruit to cold rooms as soon as
possible, but ensure that the fruit does not cool below 14°C.
• Three key tips for harvesting:
1)Harvest the fruit during the cool part of the day when possible.
2)Shade the fruit during transport to the packing shed.
3)Avoid delays in transporting the fruit to the packing shed.a

17. Value added products made from banana.

18. MANGO

20. Post harvest handling of Mango
• Mangos picked before their optimum maturity may eventually ripen,
but will develop inferior flavor and aroma, show increased
susceptibility to chilling injury caused by low temperatures during
transport, and have shortened shelf life.
• Fruit selection: Selection of the appropriate fruit maturity can be
based on several parameters, including fruit shape, peel color, peel
texture, flesh firmness, flesh color development, soluble solids
content, and latex content.
• Fruit accumulation process.
• Direct exposure to sunlight results in higher flesh temperatures,
which in turn accelerate metabolism and shorten potential shelf life.

21. • Latex removal procedure:
1)Harvest mangos with a long stem (5 cm or longer) and accumulate
the fruit in field boxes. Latex does not drip from fruit with a long stem
attached.
2) 2. Trim stems to the abscission zone (approximately 1 cm) and
immediately place the fruit with the stem end down to allow latex to drip
without touching the fruit’s peel.
• When possible, ship mangos during cooler hours of the day.
• Then they are stored
• Cleaning.
• Sanitation
• Packing
Note: The lowest safe temperature for long-term exposure (2 weeks or
more) of mature, green mangos is 12°C (54°F); immature fruit can be
injured even at temperatures above 12°C.

22. Products made from Mango

23. OKRA (Lady finger)

24. PRE-HARVEST HANDLING OF OKRA
• Okra is harvested in 60 to 70 days after planting when pods
are 2 to 3 inches long. At this stage the pods are still tender.
• Okra grows very fast, it should be harvested every two days.
The pods should not be allowed to mature on the plant
because this will inhibit more pods from developing and
reduce the productivity of plant.
• Handling of okra should be done carefully because the pods
bruise easily.
POST HARVEST HANDLING AND STORAGE
• Okra has a short storage life.
• A fresh good pod can be stored for 7-10 days at 7-10 C
temperature and 90-95% relative humidity.
• At temperatures below 7 C Okra is subjected to chilling
injury, which results in surface discoloration, pitting and
decay.

25. Value added products made from Okra

26. POTATO

28. PRE-HARVEST HANDLING OF POTATO
• Physiological maturity: Crop development stage in which leaves acquire yellow colour, become brittle and begin
to dry off the same as foliage. The tubers can separate stolons and their peel presents certain resistance to come
off when pressing it with fingers.
• Commercial maturity: Around 15 to 20 days after the plant is completely dry. The tubers are denser and their peel
doesn't come off. The crop for consumption should be harvested when it has reached the commercial maturity.
For seed, production is advisable to harvest prematurely, accelerating the process of maturity by means of foliage
elimination.
POST HARVEST HANDLING
 Sorting: During sorting, ground, stones, vegetal wastes, cut or rotten tubers are separated. Sorting of harvested
tubers consists of selecting tubers that show symptoms of plague or illness. Sorting is achieved manually or with
sorting machines.
 Grading: Grading refers to the process of classifying tubers according to its size. The size of grading tubers will
agree with the specifications dictated by seed potato standards of each country.
 Cleaning : cleaning of potatoes are done either manually or by heavy machine washers.
 Packaging: For potato conservation, whether under refrigeration or by using sprouting inhibitors, it is necessary
to utilize packages that allow good air circulation and easy handling.
• When air temperature is 32°C or higher, it is not advisable to dry potatoes. Air temperature of 26.5°C or less is
correct.
• It is recommended not to expose potatoes to air and sun for more than 15 minutes on days when temperatures
hover near 32°C in shade.

29. Value added product made from Potato.

30. BROCCOLI

31. • Broccoli is rich in health promoting
compound such as Ascorbic acid.
• Broccoli is a highly perishable vegetable
that senesces quickly after harvest. Thus
its post harvest life is quite short due to
yellowing, softening, water loss, decay and
off-odor incidences.
• The green color of broccoli is an
important quality for consumers.

32. POST HARVEST HANDLING OF BROCCOLI
• MAP: (modified atmosphere packaging) is a technique used for prolonging the postharvest life of fresh
fruits and vegetable.
• Storage of broccoli in MAP reduced weight loss and respiration rate , maintained ascorbic acid , total
antioxidant activity, glucosinolate contents and visual quality of broccoli.
• Color measurement.

34. Products made from Broccoli

35. Thank you !!!
Presentation given by : Sana Umar