Reducing On-Farm Food Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
101
4.1.3. Fruits and Vegetables
An overwhelming majority of key informants in the Arab, Asian and African Groups indicated
that all 11 of the possible on-farm causes of losses were important for fruit and vegetables crops.
Nearly every key informant included poor harvesting practices and mechanical damage on the
farm as important for the fruit and vegetable crops in their country.
With regard to other causes of losses, poor temperature management, lack of proper storage,
processing, packaging, delays in transport, poor infrastructure, and lack of marketing options
were identified by a vast majority of all the key informants. In addition, one key informant from
the UAE reported “decoration waste” as a cause of fruits and vegetables losses; a key informant
from Turkey identified “unmarketable produce;” and a key informant from Gabon added “a lack
of awareness of farmers” as an important cause of losses.
Table 4.5: Tally of Numbers and % of Key Informant Responses for Fruits and Vegetables
Possible Causes of Food Losses for Fruits and
Vegetables
Arab Group
N = 19 (%)
Asian Group
N = 24 (%)
African Group
N = 18 (%)
Pre-Harvest Causes
Poor information and planning 16 (84.21) 23 (95.83) 15 (83.33)
Lack of inputs (fertilizer, etc.) 10 (52.63) 13 (54.17) 11 (61.11)
Poor quality seeds, planting material 13 (68.42) 13 (54.17) 10 (55.55)
Pests on the farm (weeds, insects, rodents) 17 (89.47) 22 (91.67) 16 (88.89)
Poor cultural practices (pruning, fertilizing,
Pesticide spraying)
14 (73.68) 19 (79.17) 16 (88.89)
Poor water management or drought 15 (78.95) 15 62.5 11 (61.11)
Plant or animal diseases on the farm (fungi,
viruses, bacterial rots)
13 (68.42) 18 (75) 14 (77.78)
Harvesting Causes
Poor harvesting practices (damaged by cuts,
bruises, etc.)
17 (89.47) 20 (83.33) 17 (94.44)
Wrong time for harvest (immature, over-mature) 16 (84.21) 17 (70.83) 15 (83.33)
Mechanical damage during postharvest handling
(rough handling, throwing, dropping)
17 (89.47) 19 (79.17) 14 (77.78)
Poor quality field containers or shipping
packages
18 (94.74) 18 (75) 14 (77.78)
Other Causes