Cutting down post harvest losses will boost agri business

by Lalin Fernandopulle

By reducing post harvest losses to 8 percent farmers in the outgrower system benefit immensely and the company gains a satisfactory return, Agriculture Manager, Cargills (Ceylon) Ltd., Haridas Fernando said.

The reason for the low post harvest wastage is the effective packaging and transportation system adopted by the agriculture division. Vegetables and fruits are transported in plastic containers in reefer trucks from the collection centres to the distribution units under supervision.

Fernando said vegetables and fruits transported in containers rather than gunny bags have an impact on the reduction of wastage. When fruits and vegetables are packed in plastic or gunny bags the damage is high and the overall loss is a big percentage. When it is transported in containers the damage could be minimised.

Vegetables and fruits at the Manning Market are not good in quality because of the haphazard transportation system adopted by middlemen who do not consider the quality of goods.

The hired transporters are only worried about the wages but not the manner in which they transport the goods.They will even load construction material over the vegetables and fruits.

Often the transporters either sit or sleep on vegetable bags. All these add to the post harvest loss and low quality, Fernando said.

The post harvest loss in the country's agricultural sector is over 40 percent.

Though this has been a topic discussed widely no action has been taken to reduce the loss.

A proper supply chain and transfer of technical know-how to grass- root levels could minimise wastage and losses.

It is the farmers who benefit most since they will not have their produce returned. Conventional packaging and processing systems are not conducive for effective marketing.

Due to the high wastage farmers lose enthusiasm and market orientation. Inferior quality produce, uncertainty and domination by middlemen are the major obstacles the farmers face, he said.

Cargills offers a host of benefits to farmers such as better price, guaranteed market, technical skills, financial assistance and eliminates the middlemen. Over 2,000 farmers in the Mahaweli System C are beneficiaries of this system.