Published
2021-12-08
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Postharvest Losses of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum) in the Open Markets in Ibadan Metropolis
Ojimi K O
Department of Agricultural Extension and Management, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4490-5736
Oyediran W O
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Salawu M B
Department of Agricultural Extension and Management, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Abiodun Y
Department of Agricultural Extension and Management, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Alaka F A
Department of Agricultural Education, School of Secondary Education (Voc. & Tech. Programmes), FCES, Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Otufale G A
Department of Agricultural Education, Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Ojo O M
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Nigeria.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20448/journal.512.2021.82.15.19
Keywords: Tomato, Postharvest losses, Education, Food, Marketers, Metropolis, Packaging, Sorting, Storage, Ibadan.
Abstract
Postharvest losses of tomato pose serious threat on the economic viability of actors in the tomato production chain in Nigeria. Therefore, postharvest losses of tomato among marketers in Ibadan Metropolis of Oyo State Nigeria were investigated by the researchers. One hundred and twenty tomato marketers were chosen from the five food markets in Ibadan metropolis through a simple random sampling technique. The study adopted linear regression and descriptive statistics to analyze data. The outcomes of the investigation show that females were 92.5% and 88.3% were married. Capital is primarily raised through cooperative societies (57.5%). Postharvest losses of tomato accounted for 18.9% of purchase which represents ₦124,800/day. The major causes of PHLs are poor packaging (100%) and poor storage (100%) by the tomato marketers. Meanwhile, all the respondents (100%) adopted sorting to reduce PHLs of tomato. The regression analysis showed that education has a significant effect to reduce PHLs of tomato. The study concluded that huge postharvest and monetary losses of tomato are experienced by the tomato marketers. The study recommends provision of quality postharvest handling education to tomato marketers as a way of reducing PHLs of tomato in Ibadan.