Post-harvest management
Harvesting, threshing, storage, processing and marketing.
After the crop is cut
Post-harvest management covers all operations from harvest to the consumer. In India a large share of produce is lost through poor handling, pests, moisture and rodents, so good post-harvest practice adds to food supply without extra land.
Harvesting and threshing
Harvest at the correct maturity: grain crops at harvest maturity when grain moisture is about 20–25%; delay causes shattering and bird damage. Harvesting may be manual (sickle) or mechanical (reaper, combine harvester, which reaps, threshes and cleans in one operation). Threshing separates grain from the ear or pod (trampling, beating, threshers). Winnowing separates chaff using wind.
Drying and storage
Grains must be dried to safe moisture (about 12% or less for most cereals) before storage. Moist grain heats, moulds and attracts insects. Storage structures:
- Traditional: kothi, mud bins, bamboo baskets (bukhari), gunny bags.
- Improved: metal bins, Pusa bin (mud structure with a plastic film lining), warehouses, CAP (cover and plinth) storage, silos for bulk grain, and cold storage for perishables.
Key storage pests: rice weevil, lesser grain borer, khapra beetle, pulse beetle, rodents. Fumigation with aluminium phosphide is done only by trained persons in air-tight conditions.
Processing
Primary processing includes cleaning, grading, dehusking, milling (paddy to rice), parboiling, dal making and oil extraction. Value addition raises the farmer's income.
Marketing
Produce reaches consumers through regulated markets (APMC mandis), cooperatives, government procurement at minimum support price (MSP) by agencies such as the Food Corporation of India, and direct sale. Grading under AGMARK certifies quality. Storage in warehouses lets farmers avoid distress sale right after harvest.
Key points
- Combine harvester = reaping + threshing + cleaning.
- Dry grain to about 12% moisture before storage.
- CAP storage and silos are improved methods.
- AGMARK is a quality grading mark for farm produce.
- MSP procurement protects farmers from price falls.
Common mistakes
- Storing grain right after harvest without drying.
- Confusing threshing (separating grain) with winnowing (removing chaff).