Constraints to Postharvest Handling among Sweet Orange Farmers in Benue State, Nigeria

Beyond the threat to food security, constraints to postharvest handling adversely affect farmers' profitability, fruit market value, viability and availability. This study examined postharvest handling constraints of sweet orange farmers in Benue State, Nigeria. Orange farmers (235) were randomly sampled from orange-producing communities (eight) and LGAs (4) in Benue State. Orange farm size was 15.7±54.5 hectares, trees were mostly inherited (92.3%) and purely orchard (94.9%). The orange farming experience was 16.5±9.6 years. Major information sources were orange farmers (x ̅=1.71) and marketers (x ̅=1.58). Knowledge of postharvest handling was high (54.9%) and attitude was favourable (63.8%). Postharvest handling practices include use of shade trees (x ̅=1.99), sorting by bruises/disease (x ̅=1.98), selling at the farm gate (x ̅=2.00) and cleanliness of collection centres (x ̅=1.97). Postharvest constraints include lack of storage facilities (x ̅=3.00), premature fruit drop (x ̅=2.80), lack of training opportunities (x ̅=2.97), unpredictable change in climate (2.69), high temperature (x ̅=2.63), a glut in the market (x ̅=2.08). Knowledge (r=-0.175, p<0.01), attitude (r=-0.473, p<0.01), and postharvest handling practices utilisation (r=-0.287, p<0.01) significantly relate to postharvest constraints. Significant factors predicting utilisation were attitude (β=0.295), and postharvest constraints (β=-0.163). The study concluded that there is a need to help farmers with innovative solutions to overcome harvesting, storage, transportation and marketing-associated constraints. Keywords: Postharvest, Utilisation, Constraints, Sweet orange, Knowledge, Attitude