Post harvest losses for Potato during transportation and storage

Postharvest loss can be defined as the degradation in both quantity and quality of a food production from harvest to consumption. Loss of quality includes those that affect the nutritional value, the composition, acceptability and the edibility of the product. In developing countries qualitative and quantitative losses are generally occurs. The post harvest losses occurs on the different stages viz. harvesting, handling, brushing, drying, storage, primary processing, mixing, peeling etc. Potato is the very popular and nutritive tuber crop. During storage mechanical damage is the main properties. Mechanical damage to the potato tubers may occurs during transportation and harvesting. Mechanical damage to the potato tubers may occurs in the form of skin abrasion and bruises or dipper damage. Respiration, sprouting, water loss, relative humidity, chemical composition and the development of storage diseases are all influenced by temperature. At the time of harvesting 12.0 storage 0.8%, handling 8.8%, sorting 15.6%, processing 2% and super marketing 25% losses of potato. At the production level, farmer practices engender heavy losses. Land preparation and soil management are poorly conducted, and pests and diseases are ineffectively controlled, leading to low yields. The financial assessment of potato damage and loss along the value chain exposes the economic impact of this low performance in potato production. Per season, 19 per cent of produce is damaged or lost. Extrapolating these losses to the national production level. Temperature is the single most important factor in the keeping quality of stored potatoes.