ABSTRACT
Horticultural produce is highly perishable owing to its inherently high moisture content and high metabolic activities. As per estimates, about 25%–30% of total horticultural produce is lost due to mishandling and improper storage practices in several developing countries. The selection of suitable storage practices for individual commodities can help in maintaining their quality for a longer time. Since fruits and vegetables are seasonal, scientists have developed several methods to prolong their storage life to make them available during the off-season. Several storage systems such as cold storage, modified atmospheric storage and controlled atmospheric storage have been developed and recommended for horticultural produce. However, the cost involved in these systems is so high that it becomes almost impossible for the majority of the farmers to adopt these systems commercially. Apart from this, the unreliable power supply is also a hurdle for the adoption of these technologies. Several cost-effective on-farm storage methods have also been adopted locally to maintain the quality and longevity of horticultural produce. On-farm storage structures such as cellar storage, trench/pit, clamp, windbreak, barn, night ventilation, evaporative cooling, zero energy cool chamber, clay pot refrigerator or pot-in-pot, etc., are popular alternatives among the farmers and are recommended for short-term storage of perishable commodities.
