The present situation of postharvest loss of vegetables in agriculture
with direct sales stores: The examples of small turnips, potatoes,
spinach, garlic, cucumbers, and sweet potatoes

Research journal of living science  Vol.66 no2  2020/03

53-60

TAMURA Yuka, NAKAYAMA Toru

The actual amount of postharvest loss of vegetables is rarely measured because it is hard to measure　and measurement does not lead directly to any improvement in the amount of loss. The present research summarizes how loss rates and causes of loss differ depending on the types of vegetables, according to data measured by producers in agriculture with direct sales stores. Small turnips and potatoes showed loss rates lower than those estimated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, possibly because there is no size standard for these vegetables in direct sales stores. Further research should be undertaken to investigate the effect of size standards. On the other hand, spinach and cucumbers showed higher loss rates than those estimated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Regarding sweet potatoes, the loss rate was relatively high due to the harder soil in which they are grown, which leads to vegetables cracking when harvested. As a result, producers tend to harvest larger sweet
potatoes. If we treat sweet potato results as an exception, the present data indicate that the loss rates of leafy and fruit vegetables are likely to be higher than those of root vegetables.