Around 15 per cent of tomatoes are lost or wasted at the farm level, while 12 per cent meet the same fate at the retail level, a study on the tomato supply chain of Madhya Pradesh, one of the major growing states for the commodity, shows.
The main reasons for the losses at the farm gate level, as per the respondents to the study, were poor production, harvesting, and postharvest practices (such as harvesting time and method, packaging, and temporary storage); a lack of adequate infrastructure for storage, handling, and processing; and unforeseen weather conditions.
At the retail level, the main causes identified for the loss and wastage include pests and disease infestation during production; unforeseen weather conditions; and poor management practices (packaging and temporary storage, lack of storage alternatives, and consumer preferences that drive cosmetic specifications).
India annually produces around 20-21 million tonnes of tomatoes, and it is among the three major commodities, along with onion and potatoes, whose prices are most volatile.
The study conducted by World Resources India (WRI) in the three districts of Madhya Pradesh—Dhar, Chhindwara, and Jhabua—was released recently.
WRI India works with local and national governments, businesses, and civil society to address India’s development challenges.
The scope of the study was limited to wholesale markets and retailers (mostly unorganised) in the selected geography.
Madhya Pradesh was chosen for the research because India is the second-largest producer of tomatoes, with Madhya Pradesh being the leading producer in the country.
The report states that despite India being among the top producers of fruits and vegetables, offering important supplements to the country’s nutritional and food security, fruits and vegetables incur high food loss and food waste (FLFW).
The latest estimates from a study undertaken by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) indicate that fruits and vegetables incur the highest postharvest losses in India.
Tomato incurs the second-highest postharvest losses (11.61 per cent) after guava (15 per cent), as per a 2022 study by Nabard Consultancy Private Ltd (NABCONS).
Tomatoes are also one of the most important vegetables in the country because of their high nutritional and economic value to farmers and consumers and their role in local cuisines.
According to 2020–21 estimates, in the last decade (since 2012–13), horticulture production (335 million tonnes) has outpaced food grain production (311 million tonnes) in India.
Though India is a leading agricultural producer, large quantities of food are lost or wasted between production and consumption.
The economic value of postharvest losses was estimated at approximately Rs 1,52,790 crore ($18.5 billion) in 2020–21, based on the average wholesale annual prices for three years (2019–20, 2020–21, and 2021–22).
The agriculture sector contributes 19.9 per cent of national gross domestic product (GDP) (2020–21), while the total monetary loss is estimated to be 2.35 per cent of national GDP (at current prices for the first quarter of 2022–23).
Cereals, fruits, and vegetables account for more than half of this monetary loss.
Fruits and vegetables contribute 37 per cent (Rs 57,004 crore) of the total economic loss, as per the NABCONS report of 2022, representing a significant loss of national wealth.
These may be underestimated because the NABCONS assessment only accounts for quantitative losses and not qualitative losses in the selected supply chains.
Although a substantial quantity of food is lost or wasted, the country continues to grapple with challenges such as undernutrition and disproportionate access to food and nutrition.
First Published: Sep 25 2024 | 6:16 PM IST
