Human resource management training for post-harvest Human resource management training for post-harvest management and value addition products management and value addition products

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Human Resource Management (HRM, HR) is the management of

an organization's employees.

While human resource management is sometimes referred to as a

"soft" management skill, effective practice within an organization

requires a strategic focus to ensure that people resources can

facilitate the achievement of organizational goals.

Introduction

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Training on Post-Harvest Technologies

The Basics of Postharvest Technology

The three main objectives of applying postharvest technology to

harvested products are:

1.To maintain quality (appearance, texture, flavor and nutritive value)

2 .To protect food safety, and

3.To reduce losses (both physical and in market value) between

harvest and consumption.

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Postharvest Technology

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Temperature and Relative Humidity Control

Fruits, vegetables and cut flowers are living, respiring tissues

separated from their parent plant.

Keeping products at their lowest safe temperature (0 °C or 32 °F for

temperate crops or 10-12°C or 50-54 °F for chilling sensitive crops)

will increase storage life by lowering respiration rate, decreasing

sensitivity to ethylene gas and reducing water loss.

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Storage practices

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Storage of horticultural crops

• The lot of produce must not contain damaged or diseased units, and

containers must be well ventilated and strong enough to withstand

stacking.

• In general proper storage practices include temperature control, relative

humidity control, air circulation and maintenance of space between

containers for adequate ventilation, and avoiding incompatible product

mixes.

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Value Addition

Value added refers to the additional value created at a particular

stage of production or through image and marketing.

Value added agriculture is a process of increasing the economic

value and consumer appeal of an agricultural commodity.

It is an alternative production and marketing strategy that requires a

better understanding of the rapidly changing food industry and food

safety issues, consumer preference and effective management.

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Public sector organizations involved in the postharvest management of horticultural crops

1.National Horticulture Board (NHB)

2.Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)

3.National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)

4.National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)

5.Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MFPI)

6.National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB)

7. Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR)

8.National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development

9. Commodity Boards - Spice, Coffee, Coconut, Agmark, etc

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Strategies Needed by Scientists

Application of conventional and biotechnological processes to the

development of improved varieties having high production potential

with high quality attributes and resistance to biotic and abiotic

stresses;

Research into mechanization of the processing of unexploited

indigenous as well as exotic crop species.

Development of economical methods of monitoring temperature and

relative humidity in CA/MA/MAP/Low pressure storage; Technological

improvement of the minimal processing of fresh produce.

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Strategies Needed by Growers

Adaptation of the technique of high density planting in order to

increase productivity and quality, for crops such as mango,

pineapple, banana, tomatoes, onion, potatoes, etc.;

Efficient land and input use programs – arid cultivation, fertigation,

water harvesting;

Mechanization of efficient harvesting techniques particularly for large

orchards and plantations.

Knowledge on postharvest biology of the produce.

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Technologies, industrial plants and machinery must be designed to

suit the processing requirements of available raw materials at

specific locations;

Facilitate industrialization in production centres.

Industry should make provision for guaranteeing stable prices to

horticulturalists and reliable supplies must be provided at a

reasonable price to the consumer;

Improvement of low cost appropriate packaging material;

Focus on the utilization of the wastage from the processing industry

as by products.

Strategies Needed by Industries

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• Postharvest management and technology adoption is a continuous uninterrupted active process undertaken by a chain of researchers, extension workers, growers and end users.

• Consideration must therefore be given to the following by planners, administrators and other concerned: Encourage the corporate sector to undertake contract farming of crops to keep away multiple intermediaries between grower and processor;

• Replicate the Safal market of Bangalore in other locations of the country to achieve backward, forward and terminal marketing of produce;

• Establish farm level zero energy cool chambers and expand the use of cold chains for transport and storage; Introduce private and corporate entrepreneurs in sharing investment in the establishment of efficient marketing systems;

• Create an on-line marketing information system; Increase the number of AEZ/SEZ for export oriented crops like mango, banana, grapes, pomegranate, gherkins, onion, potato etc., in the country. Including small and marginal farmers who lack market power for merchandising their produce;

• Training of farmers through institutions, universities, NGO’s and Government agencies on Field Assessment of Quality (FAQ) crops for export. Integration of horticulture with agro rural tourism.

Let us sum up

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