A Review on Post-Harvest Management and Value Addition of Horticultural Crops: A Source of Income Generation for the Farmers of Bundelkhand, India
Balaji Vikram
Department of Post Harvest Technology, Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, Banda, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Shubham Gangwar
Department of Post Harvest Technology, Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, Banda, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Ankita Belwel
Department of Vegetable Science, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand, India.
Rohit Mathur
Department of Horticulture, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Pradeep Kumar
Department of Fruit Science, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Pushpandra
Department of Post Harvest Technology, Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, Banda, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Braj Kishor
Department of Vegetable Science, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Durga Kumari
Department of Post Harvest Technology, Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, Banda, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Purnima Singh Sikarwar *
Department of Horticulture, AKS University, Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
India's horticulture sector has demonstrated impressive growth, yielding 223.089 million tonnes of produce in the 11th five-year plan, predominantly driven by fruits and vegetables. Despite utilizing a relatively small portion of the cropped area, this sector contributed a substantial 30 per cent to India's agricultural GDP. However, challenges persist in fully integrating waste utilization technologies from developed nations into Indian conditions. Thus, a need for tailor-made, cost-effective technologies specifically suited to Indian conditions is paramount, focusing on value-added product production. Efficient post-harvest management not only enhances value addition but also transforms waste into a valuable resource, ultimately reducing production costs and maximizing biomass utilization. Various advanced process technologies, including drying, freezing, fermentation and extraction, stand as promising methods for recycling and upgrading waste within the fruit and vegetable market. The study emphasizes the potential of horticultural crops in sustainable agriculture, and their economic and nutritional significance and aims to propose strategies for optimized post-harvest practices and value addition to benefit farmers in Bundelkhand.
Keywords: Post-harvest management, value addition, horticultural crops, income generation