Post harvest handling of Alphonso mangoes in Maharashtra, India.
Sawant, G. K.; Shinde, S. B.;
Acta Horticulturae Year: 2000 Issue: No. 509 Pages: 459-466 Ref: 5 ref.
2000
บทคัดย่อ
A survey of traders from the Agricultural Produce Market Committee, Pune (Maharashtra) was conducted to examine the status of postharvest handling of Alphonso mango fruits by traders. Injured, immature and over-mature fruits are received and such fruits create numerous problems during handling. The produce is seldom graded in the orchards but wholesalers or pre-harvest contractors grade the fruits according to size and variety before sending to consumers' centres. The most popular containers used for packing mangoes are wooden boxes and bamboo baskets whereas crates, CFB boxes are used only occasionally in some places. Padding material for packing of mango fruits varies from grass, rice or wheat straw, shredded paper, mango leaves but rice straw is most commonly used. Nowadays corrugated fibre cardboard boxes are used for export quality fruits. The ripening of fruits takes place during transport or in packing when they are sent to distant markets. Usually fruits are ripened in a closed, well ven
tilated storehouse. Mango fruits are mainly transported by road, rail, and a small quantity by air. Traders suggested that mango fruits should be handled carefully to avoid injury, they should be harvested at the proper maturity stage, they should be harvested with 2-3 cm of stalk., Fruits of different maturity stages should not be mixed. Fully mature, unripe fruits should not be sent to market. The fruits after harvest pass through several agencies before reaching the consumer.