Vegetable post-harvest losses at retail level range between 17 and 53%

In the horticultural belt of Rosario, Argentina, a city located 300 km northeast of Buenos Aires, capital of the province of the same name, are cultivated approximately 3,900 ha of vegetables per year. 90% of the supply to Rosario consumers is done through retail business (about 2000 local retailers) and the rest by supermarket chains. Researchers from the Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias evaluated the losses that occur during the postharvest period of different kind of vegetables (leafy, root, etc.). The results show that the manipulation of vegetables in retail is often performed in unfavorable environmental conditions, resulting in higher losses and a shorter shelf life. This situation leads to higher levels of waste in retail and increased cost to the consumer. The application of appropriate procedures and techniques can significantly reduce losses at the retail level, like direct supply from the field to the retail shop, improvements in the transport, and the use of cold chain. The shops with some improvements in the technology get lesser waste. The original work is available in Spanish language here.