Importance of Post-harvest Technologies

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many states adopted closing down borders, self-isolation, which in turn negatively impacted the functioning of markets and supply chains for agricultural products. This has resulted in postharvest losses of more than 40% in Sri Lanka.??

Postharvest food losses do not merely reduce the food available for human consumption but also cause negative externalities to the environment through greenhouse gas emissions and loss of scarce resources used in production, therefore negatively impacting the local economy. That is postharvest loss accounts for direct physical losses and quality losses that reduce the economic value of crop or may make it unsuitable for human consumption. In addition to economic and social implications, postharvest losses also impact the environment, as the land, water, and energy (agricultural inputs) used to produce the lost food are also wasted along with the food. Unutilized food also results in extra CO2 emissions, eventually affecting the environment.

By adapting postharvest technologies, postharvest losses can be reduced and thereby help the nation on environmental and monetary costs. It also helps to meet the demand of the human population with reduced utilization of resources such as seeds, fertilizers, labor, etc. Its adds value to agricultural products, the crops along with its nutrients are properly conserved. Also reducing the postharvest losses, especially in developing countries, could be a sustainable solution to increase food availability, reduce pressure on natural resources, eliminate hunger and improve farmers’ livelihoods.