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Value addition to food products has assumed vital importance in our country due to diversity in socio-economic conditions, industrial growth, urbanization and globalization. Importance of Post-harvest technology lies in the fact that it has the capability to meet food requirement of growing population by eliminating losses making more nutritive food items from raw commodities by proper processing and fortification. India, where 80 percent people live in the villages and 70 percent of them depend on agriculture has experienced that the process of industrialization has shifted the food, feed and fiber industries to urban areas. PreviousNextEnd Introduction

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General conditions for Post Harvest Management/Post Primary Projects Primary Processing and Post-Harvest Management related projects shall be implemented either as on-farm projects linked with individual projects of area expansion of commercial horticulture or as a common facility for cluster of new projects of commercial horticulture and existing orchards / farms. PreviousNextEnd

Benefit of exclusive components of cold storage scheme shall also be available to the promoters over and above the assistance that will be provided under Commercial Horticulture Scheme Projects relating to setting up of new production units shall be technically and financially appraised to ensure and enable entrepreneur to incorporate latest available technology Projects under this scheme component may be integrated as part of new Production Related projects or in integration with existing Production. PreviousNextEnd Contd….

POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT S.NOProgrammeEstimate costProposed assistance 1.Pack housesRs lakh/unit Credit linked back-ended 25% of the capital cost of project in general area and 33.33% in case of Hilly & tribal Areas. 2. Cold storage unitsRs crore/unit-do- 3.C.A StorageRs crore/unit-do- Ref. vans / containersRs lakh/unit-do- 4.Mobile Processing UnitsRs lakh/unit-do- 5.Market IntelligenceProject based 6.Buy back interventionProject based PreviousNextEnd Contd….

POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT 7. Establishment of Marketing Infrastructure for horticultural produce in Govt./ Private/ Cooperative sector Credit linked back-ended 25% of the capital cost of project in general case and 33.33% in the case of hilly and backward area. a) Wholesale marketsupto Rs crores-do- b) Rural Markets/Apni Mandis/ Direct Markets Rs lakh-do- c) Functional Infrastructure for collection, grading etc. Rs lakh-do- d) Extension, quality awareness and market led extension activities for fresh processed products Project based100% assistance Processing & Value Addition The MFPI will sanction projects on food processing out of their budget provision. PreviousNextEnd Contd….

PreviousNextEnd Infrastructure Developmental Programs A project on strengthening the postharvest infrastructure for horticultural crops was initiated by the National Horticulture Board in 1988–89. Facilities were also provided to provide access to market information, for the production of fruit juice/fruit based beverages. This project provided assistance in the establishment of grading/packing centers, retail outlets, cool stores, the procurement of plastic crates and transport vehicles.

Postharvest Management Practices For Improving Marketing Controlled/Modified Atmospheric Storage/Packaging Containerization Cold/Cool Chain Freeze Dehydration of Fruits and Vegetables PreviousNextEnd

Modified atmosphere (MA) storage essentially involves changing the normal atmospheric gas composition around a fruit or vegetable.. In situations where this environmental change is strictly controlled with certain specific gaseous concentrations of N2 CO 2 and O 2, it is termed “controlled atmosphere” (CA). Modification of the atmospheric environment for the packaging and storage of fresh horticultural commodities, involves either a reduction in O 2 levels or an elevation of CO 2 concentrations. Beneficial effects of CA and MA treatments include the retardation of ripening, senescence and physiological changes as well as the reduction of chilling injury. Controlled/Modified Atmospheric Storage/Packaging PreviousNextEnd

Although containerization was recently introduced into India, little use is made of containers for the national distribution of fresh horticultural produce. Potential, however, exists for the design of low-cost containers which employ ventilation and evaporative cooling. Cold/Cool Chain The cold chain has contributed tremendously to trade in fruits, vegetables and flowers in developed countries. Maintenance of low temperatures at different stages through the cold chain, results in the reduction of losses and retention of the quality of horticultural produce. Containerization PreviousNextEnd

Freeze Dehydration of Fruits and Vegetables While conventionally dried fruits and vegetables lose their structural integrity and exhibit poor rehydration characteristics, freeze-dried or dehydrated fruits and vegetables retain their nascent texture and color and reconstitute fairly rapidly even in cold water owing to their porous structures. Freeze dehydration can be thought of as an up scaling on lyophilization, a technique which is widely used in pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications to dehydrate and thereby conserve and preserve certain pharmacological and biological materials. PreviousNextEnd

PreviousNextEnd Safety In The Postharvest Management Of Fruits And Vegetables 1) Regulation of specifications for foods, and 2) Regulation of hygienic conditions of processing and/or manufacturing. Some of these food safety regulations are mandatory while others are voluntary: a) The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA) implemented by the Ministry of Health, outlines specifications for various food products and is mandatory. b) The Agriculture Produce (Grading & Marking) Act implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development is voluntary. This particular act set forth the specifications for various agricultural commodities including some processed foods.

c) The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the largest body responsible for the creation of standards for various food products. BIS standards are voluntary. d) A number of quality control orders have been issued under the essential Commodities Act. These include the Food Product Order (FPO), Milk and Milk Products Order (MMPO). PreviousNextEnd Contd….

PreviousNextEnd Centralization and Jurisdiction of Local Agencies A number of food analysts and food inspectors in India are mandated to assist consumers with food poisoning or food contamination concerns. Food Inspectors collect samples for analysis by the public analyst and the local (health) authority (LHA). In situations where food samples are adulterated, the vendor, manufacturer, distributor, or business is prosecuted by the LHA.

Previous India has a good resource base, adequate research and development infrastructure and excellence in several areas of horticultural interest. The demand for horticultural produce in India is on the rise, owing to increasing populations, changing food habits, the nutritional value of horticultural crops and a greater emphasis on postharvest management, processing and value addition. Advantages of growth can be harnessed with well planned strategies, so as to ensure a positive future outlook. Food safety is of growing importance in food production, processing and marketing. Investment in food safety, while assuring risk-free ventures related to horticulture, will increase the cost of fresh produce and the processing of fruits and vegetables. Efforts geared toward improving production technologies for fruits and vegetables will become meaningful only if the effective postharvest technology is developed and wastage is reduced. Let us sum up