Zero energy cool chamber, low cost storage structure for vegetables and fruits in Churachandpur District of Manipur

Abstract

The keeping quality and longevity of fruits and vegetables requires high cost storage as well as high energy consuming technology. Our farmers cannot afford such technology due to the substantial financial involvement which makes the technique impracticable in rural areas. Massive quantity of fruits and vegetables are lost every year due to the lack of proper infrastructure for processing and post-harvest management. The zero energy cool chamber (ZECC) system of storage was introduced at Churachandpur district for storage of vegetable and fruits in order to reduce the problems of post-harvest losses at farmers’ level. ZECC is a cost-effective, eco friendly and less energy requiring technology for storage and also improves the quality and productivity of vegetables and fruits by reducing field heat, increasing shelf life and checking post-harvest losses respectively. In the study it was found that shelf life of vegetable and fruit crops like cabbage, broccoli tomato, pineapple, passion fruit and banana could be enhanced through ZECC and that physiological loss in weight (PLW) in ZECC was also comparatively less as compared to the room condition. Hence, there is a great scope for popularization of ZECC for preventing losses during post harvest of fruits and vegetables in Churachandpur district of Manipur.