Post-harvest Treatment Products Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Coatings/Wax, Ethylene Blockers, Fungicides, Sprout Inhibitors, Others), By Crop Type (Fruits, Vegetables) And Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

In recent years, due to development in agriculture and the demand for fresh produce, food wastages have been given serious attention. Among the various ways to control food wastage, post-harvest treatment solutions are the most common ways of combating food wastage. The growing demand for healthier food produce and the rise in population drive the global market of post-harvest treatment products.

One of the critical components to increase agricultural productivity is by reducing the post-harvest losses of food crops. Post-harvest loss is the loss of valuable food products and the inputs required to produce and distribute the crops. The supply chain, the location, and the variety of the crops are some of the main factors that influence the post-harvest loss of plants. Adopting appropriate tools, methodologies, handling practices, and training are crucial factors influencing and preventing the loss of food products. For instance, a high ethylene concentration in fruits increases their metabolism and causes the fruits to ripen. Additionally, the presence of micro-organisms such as fungi, bacteria, and other micro-organisms on the surface of the fruits and vegetables also causes their decay. They are the major cause of decay in pomegranate, stone fruits, citrus fruits, tomatoes, etc.  

Even during storage, the sprouting of the vegetable such as potatoes reduces the weight of the product and causes loss in the nutritional value of the fruits and vegetables. To combat micro-organisms such as fungi, strategies undertaken include altering the micro-environment and altering the host physiology. These include biocontrol, fungicides using plant growth regulators such as Gibberellin (citrus). Altering the pH of the fruits also helps protect, suppress, and eradicate the decay of fruits and vegetables. Chemical inhibitors such as Maleic Hydrazide, ChloroIsopropyl-N PhenylCarbamate (CIPC), and others are used to prevent sprouting and nutritional loss of plants.

The reduction in post-harvest loss of crops will help create a sustainable and resilient food system and indirectly reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Adopting these methods will help optimize food production and increase the revenue of small-scale food producers and large-scale food producers.

Post-harvest treatment of fruits helps prevent the products from losing their freshness and increases their shelf-life. Citrus fruits like lemon are rich in Vitamin C have softer peels, and the use of post-harvest treatment methods such as surface coating, heat treatments helps to increase the vitamin C retention of the fruits. In addition to these treatment methods, temperature plays a crucial role in managing the nutritional quality of food as the loss of vitamins in fruits is intensified at a higher temperature. Modified atmosphere packaging and placing the fruits in a controlled temperature environment also ensure that the fruits' nutrient content is retained.

Key Players Covered:

Some of the key players operating in the global post-harvest treatment market are Decco, JBT, Pace International LLC, Xeda International, Agrofresh, and Syngenta. Other key players include FMC Corporation, Nufarm, Bayer, Citrosol, Fomesa Fruitech, Futureco Bioscience, Corteva Agriscience, and BASF.

The most important factor that influences the marketability of fresh produce is the food's texture, flavor, appearance, color, and microbial safety. Edible coatings in fruits and vegetables are used to increase the shelf life of the products. They also help the fruits to maintain the moisture and firmness of the fruits. Furthermore, the addition of coatings in the fruits and vegetables helps prevent browning by oxidation and decreases the growth of micro-organisms on the surface of the food products. Hence, they act as a natural barrier to protect the fruits and vegetables. Other products such as ethylene blockers help slow down the quantity of ethylene produced by the fruits and, in turn, slow down the ripening. Controlling the amount of oxygen present around the fruit helps inhibit the fruits from making ethylene, thus preventing wastage during transit. Once the fruit reaches its destination, it can be ripened by exposing the fruits and vegetables to ethylene gas.  

To develop and increase the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, the companies are developing new solutions to protect and enhance the shelf life of food. Collaborations between the companies aim to develop new product solutions for different fruits and vegetables and improve their product offerings.   For instance, Sanifruit and Giavoe collaborated to develop post-harvest solutions to extend the shelf-life of stone fruit.

Regional Analysis:

Asia-pacific is the largest sector for this market. Increasing demand for fresh produce and the rise in disposable income are the major factors leading to the rise in the growing demand in this region. As per the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates, post-harvest loss of rice is around 10-37% in the Asian region. The increasing demand for managing the loss of food products is a major driver for the growth of post-harvest products in the region.

Segmentation

Key Industry Developments

• In 2021, AgroFresh Solutions, Inc., a global leader in freshness solution for fruits announced the launch of a new quality platform of post-harvest solutions to reduce food wastage and maintain freshness of fruits and vegetables.