A survey of post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables in major economic centers of Sri Lanka

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.