Analysis on post-harvest practices of packaging in rice crop in district- Rupnagar, Punjab

Abstract

Post-harvest management is one of the most critical stages in the agricultural value chain, particularly for staple crops such as rice, which forms the backbone of food security and rural livelihoods in Punjab. Despite being one of the leading rice-producing states in India, Punjab continues to experience significant post-harvest losses, primarily due to reliance on traditional storage practices. The present study provides a comprehensive analysis of rice post-harvest management in Punjab. The objectives of the study are: (i) to document the storage practices most widely adopted by farmers, (ii) to compare the efficiency of package practices. Primary data were collected from sample farmers across different villages of Rupnagar districts of Punjab through field surveys, and descriptive statistical tools were used to evaluate storage methods, costs, and outcomes. The package methods followed by farmers are mainly 1. Gunny Bags 2. Hermetic Bags 3. Grain Silo. Out of which majority 90% performed Gunny Bags as package practice and remaining 5%Grain silo and 5% perform Hermetic bags.Gunny (jute) bags, remain the most widespread practice in Punjab. As it is cost effective package practice.