An analysis of post-harvest handling and transportation systems for tomatoes in West Sumatera, Indonesia | |
| Author | Bambang Jaya |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.AE-91-17 |
| Subject(s) | Tomatoes--Transportation Farm produce--Indonesia--Handling |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The post-harvest handling system for tomatoes in West Sumatera, Indonesia was studied to improve the system using a management model. The study was divided into two; the first, was a field study located in selected sites of three Districts. Time delays and yield losses were observed in each handling and transporting operation from the farms to the wholesale markets; the second, was a laboratory study, to determine shelf- life or storability of tomatoes harvested at four maturity stages and stored at three different temperatures. Weight loss, firmness and color development were observed as parameters of storability. The results of the field study show that the total time delays in moving the harvested tomatoes from the farm to the wholesale markets, the final destination of the produce, was between 23.6 to 49.5 hours, depending on the distance travelled. The temperature variations in the fruits during transit was between 31°C to 41°C. The yield losses varied between sites, based on variety and destination of produce and were estimated to be around 4.09 to 5.02 %, 1.2 to 2 %, 14.63 to 26.43 % of the total quantity handled at the farm, collecting center and wholesale market respectively. The results of the experiment on tomato harvested at the breaker, yellow, pink and red stage and stored at different temperatures, showed significant differences in shelf- life or storability. The shelf-life, based on commercial acceptance values was around 5 to 6 days when harvested in the red stage and stored at a 41°C, 7 to 8 days when harvested in the yellow stage and stored at 31°C, 12 to 13 days when harvested at the breaker stage and stored at 26°C. The time delays (T), were compared with the storability (S) of tomatoes, at the different temperatures. Suggestions were made to improve the handling system so as to either increase storability or reduce time delays in getting the produce to the consumer before the tomatoes deteriorate and are not accepted commercially. |
| Year | 1991 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Food Engineering (AE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Ilangantileke, S.G.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Athapol Noomhorm;Salokhe, Vilas M.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | IBRD - NAEP III Project of the government of Republik of Indonesia; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1991 |