Socioeconomic Assessment of Mandarin Postharvest Loss: A Case of Gandaki Province, Nepal

Abstract

This study focused on the socioeconomic assessment of mandarin postharvest loss in the Gandaki Province of Nepal. Two mandarin growing districts Tanahun and Syangja of Gandaki province were selected for study purposes. A simple random method of sampling was employed to select 45 mandarin farmers from each district making a total sample size of 90. Primary data were collected with the help of a pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule along with two focus group discussions and field observation of the mandarin orchard. Data were analyzed by using both descriptive and inferential statistics. This paper explored the mandarin production status, major post-harvest practices, marketing channels, and barriers to post-harvest technology adoption. The findings revealed that farmers were producing 5.4 tons of fresh mandarin each year earning around 50 thousand Nepalese rupees as profit from mandarin farming. Similarly, the result showed that the post-harvest loss was 8%-9% during the harvesting, grading, and packaging operation while a loss of 2%-3% was recorded during the transportation of mandarin from the production site to the wholesaler site. In total, loss ranging from 14%-18% was recorded in all chains of mandarin postharvest operations. Also, it was found that more than two-thirds (76.7%) of farmers practiced mandarin marketing based on preharvest contracts. The technical know-how of farmers about post-harvest technologies was a major challenge associated with the low adoption of mandarin post-harvest technologies. The concerned government agency, I/NGOs, and other organizations need to emphasize post-harvest loss issues by incorporating loss minimization activities in their program ensuring higher adoption of postharvest technologies by mandarin farmers and traders.