Abstract:
Post-harvest losses in Sri Lanka constitute a critical challenge to national food security and the
sustainability of agricultural livelihoods. Current estimates indicate that 20% to 40% of
vegetables and 30% to 40% of fruits are lost annually due to inadequate handling, storage and
transportation practices throughout the supply chain. To evaluate the extent of post-harvest
losses of fruits and vegetables, a comprehensive survey was conducted at the Meegoda, Dambulla,
and Tambuththegama economic centers, representing the Low Country, Up Country and Mid
Country agricultural zones of Sri Lanka, respectively. The study encompassed key stakeholders
in the supply chain, including farmers, wholesalers, retailers and middlemen, selected through
random sampling. The total sample size comprised 180 participants, with data collected achieved
via field surveys (83.33%) and online responses (16.64%) using a structured questionnaire. The
principal objective was to identify the most wasted fruits and vegetables at major economic
centers, based on empirical data regarding produce wastage. Statistical analysis using ANOVA
revealed significant variation in post-harvest losses among the three economic centers. At the
Thambuththegama economic center, post-harvest losses were reported as follows: tomato
(37.27% ± 3), banana (22.71% ± 2), and pumpkin (27.5% ± 4). In the Dambulla economic center,
losses were tomato (37.33% ± 4), banana (22.50% ± 0) and pumpkin (27.38% ± 4). At the
Meegoda economic center, the corresponding figures were tomato (36.60% ± 4), banana (24.64%
± 2) and pumpkin (30.83% ± 2). Aggregated across all centers, tomatoes exhibited the highest
post-harvest loss at 36.87% (±3), followed by pumpkin at 27.75% (±4) and banana at 23.08%
(±2), all of which represent substantial losses. These findings underscore the considerable
magnitude of post-harvest losses in fruits and vegetables in Sri Lanka. To date, no effective system
has been implemented to mitigate wastage resulting from improper post-harvest handling. The
introduction of value-added products is proposed as a viable solution to reduce post-harvest
losses in the Sri Lankan market.
