Horticultural postharvest loss in municipal fruit and vegetable markets in Samoa

Reducing horticultural postharvest loss is a priority in Samoa, due to declining agricultural productivity and wider dietary-based health concerns within the human population. Efforts to remediate loss is currently impeded by little information about the current levels of horticultural loss in Samoa or the factors contributing to this loss. In this study we quantified commercial postharvest loss of 23 horticultural crops at the Fugalei central municipal market on the Island of Upolu, Samoa, using direct weighing. Mean postharvest loss was further determined in all six municipal, community and private fruit and vegetable markets on the Samoan Islands of Upolu and Savai’i using vendor and farmer-trader surveys. Postharvest horticultural loss in the Fugalei municipal market was 6.2% (determined by weight) and 13.3% (based on vendor recall). There was no significant difference between mean postharvest loss in fruits compared to vegetables. The highest level of daily postharvest loss (5% to 22%) was observed for soursop, papaya, Tahitian lime, mustard cabbage and choko. Negligible loss (