Postharvest handling and perception of loss among fresh tomato retailers at five marketing centres in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

This is a report on a survey to assess how fresh tomatoes are handled and stored by retailers at five of the main marketing centres in Accra. The report related the perception of losses in the fruits as well as their profitability among the tomato retailers to the present postharvest handling and storage practices used at the marketing centres. The survey revealed that 95% of respondents would welcome any means of improving the handling and storage of tomatoes at the centres. However analysis of the relationship between their net profit/loss and the amount they would have spend on such improvements revealed that the present handling and storage practice do not influence the level of losses. A number of suggestions have been made that could help improve the postharvest handling of fresh tomatoes by the retailers and farmers