Evaluation of Post-Harvest Losses and Market Performance of Guava in Ludhiana and Patiala Districts of Punjab, India

Guava (Psidium guajava L) is one of the most popular fruits enjoyed by people of all social classes, often referred to as the apple of the tropics. A study was conducted in two districts of Punjab namely Ludhiana and Patiala, which are the largest producers of guava in the state, to estimate the post-harvest losses of the Guava crop. An economic comparison of guava cultivation was also made between the two districts. It was found that the maximum production of Guava was 280.95q and 295.25q among large farmers in Ludhiana and Patiala districts, respectively. The farmer-commission agent-wholesaler-commission agent-retailer-consumer channel was the most favoured across all three farmer categories. The loss during transportation from the road head to the market was primarily due to poor road infrastructure and the continued use of traditional packaging in the study area. It was found to be as high as 3.56 per cent of total production in Ludhiana and 3.60 per cent in Patiala. The total economic loss in the Ludhiana region amounted to Rs 313.7/q which was approximately 9 per cent. In contrast, the total economic loss in the Patiala region was Rs 339.8 /q equivalent to 9.7 per cent. Guava, being a perishable crop, was suggested to require a proper cold storage unit, with part of the setup to be financed by the government in the form of subsidies.