The main objective of this manual is to describe how post-harvest handling and marketing can be improved through better packaging.
Inter-regional exports of the English speaking independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean amount to more than 60,000 tonnes of produce traded, valued at some EC$ 90 million per year. If we assume a 20 percent loss, the economical loss caused by post-harvest losses could well be over EC$ 18 million every year. Consequently, reducing these losses with only one percent results in the marketability of an extra 600 tonnes of produce valued at EC$ 1 million every year in the regional markets.
Total world fresh produce exports in 1986 were estimated at US$ 226,505 million. A loss of one percent equals a financial loss of US$ 227 million. Only a small part of the world production of agricultural produce is exported and according to FAO estimates post-harvest losses were in the order of 20 - 33% of all food produced. A small reduction in post-harvest losses will result in lower financial losses and in an increased availability of food.
Other financial losses such as loss of market opportunities, loss of quality, loss of goodwill, etc. can also result in a financial loss for the trader or farmer.
One, and perhaps the most important, means of reducing post-harvest losses is the introduction of improved packaging material together with improved packaging techniques.
Chapter 2 of this manual describes the causes of post-harvest losses and the influence of packaging on these losses, while Chapter 3 reviews the functions and Chapter 4 the types and designs of different forms of packaging. Chapter 5 describes the importance of unitisation and standardisation of packaging and the ways in which it can improve marketing efficiency. The crucial question of the cost of packaging is discussed in Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 introduces a system to help in deciding which package type to invest in. The information to be printed on a label is described in Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 deals with retail packaging of fresh produce. Three instruction sheets for training and demonstration purposes are included at the end of this manual.
