2020 Volume 64 Issue 1 Pages 7-12
In Afghanistan, urbanization, population increase, climate change, the application of chemical inputs, hybrid seeds, greenhouse and processing technologies, trade activities and other facilities have brought about great changes in production and the consumption rate of vegetables, especially in the case of tomato. A field survey on the production, trade and post-harvest handling of tomatoes was conducted in Eastern region of Afghanistan, using questionnaires. The interviewees were agricultural organizations, producers, traders, consumers and university professors. The objective of the survey was to evaluate the tomato production, trade, and the post-harvest handling process in the area, and it was found that the availability of quality inputs such as hybrid seeds and fertilizers had a great impact on the yield and quality of the fruit as well as the post-harvest technology on the prevention of fruit loss. According to the results, the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) matrix was summarized. Based on the findings, we hope to improve the pre-and post-harvesting activities in order to increase the income of stakeholders through better agriculture practices and a reduction of loss.
