Estimating avocado postharvest loss across its value chains and its determinants in Sidama and Gedeo areas, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Fruit plays a vital role in enhancing nutrition security; however, it faces persistent postharvest losses due to socioeconomic, institutional, and biological factors. To reduce these losses, it is essential to identify the major causes and estimate the magnitude of loss to inform policy strategies. This study assessed the primary causes of avocado postharvest losses across the avocado value chain. A two-stage stratified sampling technique was employed to select sample respondents. Accordingly, a total of 212 producers were randomly selected from avocado-producing districts in the Sidama region and Gedeo zone. The results indicate that, on average, postharvest loss accounts for 19.02 percent of the total avocado harvest, despite avocados contributing 24.09 percent of the producers’ total annual income. Across the value chain, collectors and retailers experienced losses exceeding 50 percent, whereas processors had losses below five percent. A multiple linear regression model was used to identify the determinants of postharvest avocado losses. The results show that harvesting with traditional sticks, unfavorable weather conditions, the use of soft storage materials, the presence of disease, and low frequency of extension contacts were significant factors contributing to postharvest losses. Therefore, the dissemination of improved harvesting and storage materials, combined with expanded extension support, is essential to minimizing postharvest losses in the area.