@article{Shrestha_Awasthi_Das_2024, title={Post-harvest losses in mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata blanco.) in the Gulmi District of Nepal}, volume={8}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijhaf.8.4.1}, DOI={10.22161/ijhaf.8.4.1}, abstractNote={<jats:p>A study was carried out in Gulmi District, Nepal, focused on the status of post-harvest technology and mandarin post-harvest losses. A random sampling technique was used to select the household and an interview with a semi-structured questionnaire was carried out. Collected data were analyzed by using descriptive through SPSS and Ms. Excel and results were obtained. Through the collection and analysis of data from a sample of 100 respond-ents, this study delved into various aspects of Mandarin’s post-harvest status, including socio-demographic char-acteristics, post-harvest operation, and challenges faced by farmers. The findings revealed critical insights into the demographics of the surveyed farmers, their practices related to post-harvest management of Mandarin, and the issues they encounter. The study uncovered that while many farmers exhibit a lower understanding of post-harvesting technology including the use of chemicals, processing facilities, the effect of proper harvesting tech-nique, and other post-harvest handling practices on the shelf life of fruits, there is still room for improvement, particularly in post-harvest handling techniques and access to markets. Aggregate mean post-harvest losses were found to be 8.12% at the harvesting stage, followed by 4.05% at the grading stage, 3.07% at the sorting stage, and 1.65% during storage. The end use of market-rejected poor-grade fruits was also studied. The research also high-lighted the significance of farmer groups and the potential for training programs to enhance post-harvest knowledge and skills. Furthermore, the study identified critical needs among farmers, emphasizing the importance of access to essential resources, training, credit related to post-harvest management, marketing assistance, and improved infrastructure to improve Mandarin post-harvest handling in the region. These findings can inform tar-geted interventions and policies aimed at enhancing Mandarin farming practices, post-harvest handling practic-es, and improving farmers’ livelihoods in the Gulmi district.</jats:p>}, number={4}, journal={International Journal of Horticulture, Agriculture and Food science}, publisher={AI Publications}, author={Shrestha, Simran and Awasthi, Sushil and Das, Bikash Kumar}, year={2024}, pages={01–19} }