Determinants of Postharvest Banana Loss in the Marketing Chain of Central Ethiopia

Abstract

A survey was conducted to estimate the postharvest loss of banana and identify the causes at the major banana producing and marketing areas of Ethiopia. The total postharvest loss of banana was estimated to be 26.5% where 56% of the loss occurred at the retail level, while 27% and 17% of the losses occurred at wholesale and farm levels, respectively. Mechanical damage was identified as the main cause for postharvest banana loss at farm and wholesale levels while rotting was the main cause at retail level. Poor postharvest handling practices from farm to the retail were the major factors influencing banana loss in the supply chain. Regression analysis shows that sex, farming experience, decision to harvest and cooperative membership were found to significantly influence banana loss at farm level while education level, marketing experience, fruit quantity handled and destocking date were significantly influencing the loss at wholesale level. Sex, education, fruit quantity handled and destocking date were also the significant determinants influencing banana loss at the retail level. Hence, it can be concluded that significant amount of banana loss occurred in the supply chain which is mainly attributed to lack of knowledge and poor postharvest handling practices. Thus, there is a need for awareness creation about the importance of the loss and adoption of improved handling practices of banana as part of the loss reduction effort in the supply chain.

Keywords: Banana, postharvest losses, causes, determinants.