| When it comes to processing perishable crops, | | | | complicated sorting, packing, storing and |
| what is done to the crops the moment they are | | | | facilities for moving perishable crops about |
| uprooted from the ground determines the final | | | | in storage areas are duly put in place, more |
| quality of the said crop, to a very large | | | | so,if we are talking about a fully functional |
| extent. As the name suggests, the act of | | | | industrial size which comes equipped with |
| processing the crop ( Dusting, sorting, | | | | conveyor belts for moving these crops around, |
| cleaning and packing the crops) after the | | | | cold-storage |
| harvest, is called Post harvesting. It | | | | facilities,atmosphere-controllable storage |
| becomes a critical part in processing | | | | equipment and advanced sorting and harvesting |
| perishable food crops because these crops | | | | machinery. |
| have a tendency to deteriorate from the | | | | |
| moment they are uprooted from the farms. | | | | The above mentioned sophisticated equipment, |
| Processed food items, fresh farm produce or | | | | coupled with state-of-the-art technology |
| whatever it is that the crop ought to be sold | | | | managed efficiently with superbly trained |
| for, the out put of the post harvesting | | | | staff should be able to battle with the time |
| technology largely determines the caliber of | | | | constrained challenge of being able to |
| the processed food crop. | | | | produce the best quality output, especially |
| | | | with regards to the perishable food crops and |
| Though it might seem like an obvious thing to | | | | hence becomes an important element in the |
| do post harvesting the crop, it is still a | | | | food processing chain. |
| difficult task to be achieved either due to | | | | |
| lack of awareness or due to the lack of | | | | Be it your home garden which delivers some |
| infrastructure. Post harvest usually consists | | | | kind of perishables or an industrial unit, a |
| of cleaning up of the crops, removing | | | | few things have to be considered carefully |
| moisture and bringing down the pace of the | | | | and attended to. Firstly, the crops need to |
| chemical reactions that usually occur then. | | | | be culled (removal of damaged crop |
| These chemical reactions can also occur, in | | | | elements). Secondly, the perishables need to |
| some cases, when two crops are stored | | | | be cooled immediately and maintained at that |
| together, given a particular temperature. To | | | | temperature to avoid further possible |
| avoid this and also to streamline the post | | | | degradation of crops and finally, the crops |
| harvesting operations a lot of expensive | | | | have to be handled expertly and with care. |
| equipment has to be put in place like | | | | |