2020 Volume 11 Issue 2 Pages 154-162
Tomato (cv. Mongal) value chain practices of a farmers’ cooperative as pilot model in Siem Reap, Cambodia, were assessed and improved through the introduction of postharvest technologies and best practices. The existing value chain (EVC) practices included harvesting tomatoes at the breaker stage, use of harvesting container with smooth surface (plastic pail), use of plastic crate in hauling harvested tomatoes to the farmers’ house where packaging in ordinary plastic bags at 10 kg fruit per bag was done. No sorting and special storage were practiced except for overnight storage at ambient when harvesting was done in the afternoon. The packed fruit were then transported to the city market about 12 km from the farm or 30-45 minutes ride using a motorcycle-driven carrier (locally named ‘TukTuk’). Marketing tomatoes usually took half day. Using the cooperative’s simple packhouse which linked farm production and marketing, improved value chain (IVC) practices were introduced, including sorting to ensure more uniform quality and damage-free fruit, sanitizing with 0.01% calcinated calcium (non-chlorine sanitizer) by dipping fruit in the solution for 3 minutes, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) using perforated 50 µm thick low-density polyethylene bag at 10 kg fruit per bag, and transporting and direct retailing in ice box using a dedicated motorcycle-driven carrier. In another set of trials, three-day storage simulating extended period of distribution and marketing was included using ambient condition in the EVC while in the IVC, three storage options were introduced: ice box (3 kg ice per box with about 25 kg fruit replenished every day); low-cost cold storage using the Coolbot chamber; or evaporative cooler (EC). Results revealed that without storage (direct marketing after harvest) total postharvest loss was about 14% in the EVC; this was remarkably reduced to 4% in the IVC. IVC fruit were also firmer, had higher soluble solids and much reduced microbial load than EVC fruit. No pesticide residue was detected in both EVC and IVC fruit. With the three-day storage, the three storage options in the IVC did not differ much in reducing postharvest loss to about 3-6% from 22% in the EVC. IVC fruit also ripened slowly resulting in higher firmness than EVC fruit. Other quality attributes were not affected. Vitamin C content was slightly higher in IVC fruit than in EVC fruit. From the results, there is potential for integrating postharvest management options in value chains to reduce postharvest loss and enhance quality of tomatoes.
