Reducing Postharvest Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
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them don’t practice what it takes to avoid, especially, quality losses, largely because “traders
don’t separate the nuts” and don’t pay higher prices for quality nuts. This evidence from a
rather small sample of respondents is consistent with evidence from a larger-scale study
undertaken by Nakhumwa (2015). Hence, if the potential remedial actions outlined below are
to be adopted then market incentives need to be right.
4.3.5. Lessons Learned from the Case Study
Technical guidelines on pre and postharvest actions and technologies to reduce losses
(quantity and quality) are available. To foster adoption we propose the following:
 Training of farmers as well as traders and micro/small-scale processors on measures
to minimise losses, including the implications of disease-causing contaminants.
 This should be linked to measures to promote structured marketing systems which
ensure that the supply chain, especially those linked to exporters and large-scale
processors, is shortened and result in tangible revenue gains for producers. Such a
marketing system should offer quantifiable premiums to producers and traders
complying with stipulated quality standards.
 Easing access to finance for pre-harvest activities as well as at the postharvest level is
likely to assuage the liquidity pressures which compels farm households to sell
without complying with the recommended actions. This will also enhance the capacity
of farmers and other SMEs to adopt the technologies needed to minimise losses and
improve product quality.
 Policy support for the market development initiatives briefly indicated above will be
required, especially in enforcing standards within the domestic processing industry.
However, this may require significant political will as the fear of causing public panic
often discourages political actions being initiated.
4.4. Tomatoes in Bangladesh
4.4.1. Status and Importance
Tomatoes are one of the most important and popular vegetables in Bangladesh, ranking fourth
in respect of production and third in respect of area (Hossain and Abdulla, 2015). In 2013,
Bangladesh produced 251,000 tonnes of tomatoes (down from 155,430 tonnes in 2012, see
table 1) (FAOSTAT) with a value of approximately US$ 156 million (USAID, 2014). Bangladesh
is the third largest tomato producer in South Asia. From 2004 to 2012, tomato production
increased at an average rate of approximately 11% per year, the highest in this area. According
to the Department of Agricultural Extension, tomato cultivation has increased five to six times
during the last 15 to 20 years. The area under tomatoes is estimated at 26,000 hectares and
the average yield at 9.5 tonnes. Table 47 gives overall figures for production, area, yields and
imports.