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