Postharvest Losses in Onion: Causes and Determinants

Abstract

Reducing post-harvest loss is a reasonable step towards food security globally. However, the lack of deep knowledge of the causes and determinants of postharvest loss poses a great challenge to strategies for alleviating postharvest loss. This study, therefore, identifies the causes and drivers of postharvest losses in onion, in Nigeria, to alleviate the menace. Data collected from 360 farmers were analysed with descriptive statistics and a multiple regression model. Results showed that the primary causes of postharvest loss were rot, diseases and pests, drying and bruises. While, poor storage facilities, poor transportation systems, long distances to marketing centres, poor agricultural extension services and inadequate credit were secondary causes. The driving factors of postharvest loss in onion were extension services (β = -0.1269, p < .05), access to credit (β = -0.1054, p < .05), household size (β = -0.2650, p < .01), age of the farmer (β = 0.0557, p < .05), level of education (β = -1.0500, p < .01), farm size (β = 0.3801, p < .01), distance to market (β = 0.2187, p < .05), output (β = 0.1180, p < .01), and length of storage after harvest (β = 0.0635, p < .05). Therefore, this study recommends improved transportation systems in agrarian areas, overhauling of extension services, making credit facilities available to farmers at affordable interest rates, and developing efficient post-harvest management technologies by research institutes.