EFFICIENCY IN SUPPLY CHAIN OF LITCHI (Litchi Chinensis Sonn) IN INDIA THROUGH POST-HARVEST MANAGEMENT: EFFECT OF CHEMICALS AND PACKAGING MATERIALS

In developing countries, the supply chain of agricultural products typically involves many players or agents with many farmers at one end and consumers at the other. These traditional supply chains are tightly linked with social structures (Lokollo, 2004). Generally, small farmers in developing countries are price – takers and their contact with “markets” is often limited to dealing with a produce collector or to sales at the local/ village market and district market.Litchi is very perishable in nature and grown commercially in India.The purpose of the present work is to study the effect of chemicals and packaging in the supply chain of litchi through postharvest management. It was observed that after harvest, fruit can be stored for only 1-2 days at ambient temperature. In the present investigations a gradual decrease in fruit weight was recorded under cold conditions. The TSS was significantly affected by chemical treatments. All the four packaging materials reduced spoilage of litchi fruits. The total soluble solids were also significantly affected by the packaging materials. This further resulted in value addition in the supply chain by increase in the shelf life and quality of produce and the farmer got better share in the consumer rupee.