A Review on Post-Harvest Management and Value Addition of Horticultural Crops: A Source of Income Generation for the Farmers of Bundelkhand, India

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.