Contents: Foreword. Preface. 1. On-farm agro-processing. 2. Policies and programmes for post harvest management in horticulture produce. 3. Status of post-harvest management of horticultural produce. 4. Post-harvest management of temperate fruits. 5. Post-harvest physiology of fruits and vegetables. 6. Post-harvest management of horticultural produce in J and K state: a role of SKUAST-K. 7. Strawberry cultivation problems and prospects. 8. Present status and future strategies on fruit processing. 9. Processing and value addition through agro-processing centres for employment generation. 10. Improved technology for apricot drying by sulphitation and osmotic treatment under solar tunnel dryer. 11. Processing of temperate fruits. 12. Recent advances in osmotic dehydration of fruits and vegetables. 13. Food biotechnology. 14. Irradiation of fruits and vegetables for post-harvest shelf-life enhancement. 15. Export potential of floricultural products in India. 16. Grading and packaging of quality cut-flowers for export market. 17. Post-harvest management of saffron and kalazeera. 18. Post harvest processing processing for value addition of kalazeera. 19. Food safety and certification. 20. Food safety for horticultural produce. 21. Recent advances in food packaging. 22. Physiological disorders of apple and pear. 23. Post harvest diseases management of temperate fruits. 24. Prospects of floral dehydration floral craft and value added products. 25. Application of plastics for post harvest practices. Subject index.

"India has a rich biodiversity of horticultural crops growing in its varied agro-climatic regions. Fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamentals and spices are perishable in nature and their shelf life is limited, depending upon environmental and handling conditions.

Due to poor-harvest management practices and lack for infrastructure facilities huge losses (20-40%) occur which cause an annual estimated loss of Rs. 23,000 crores.

The subject matter of the book covers post harvest physiology, scientific handling, grading and storage methods, post harvest disease, solar/osmotic dehydration techniques, food irradiation, food biotechnology, food safety and quality assurance (HACCP), and post harvest technology of spices like saffron and kalazeera, floral dehydration and on-farm agro-processing/value addition techniques for employment generation.

The present book provides technical know how of the latest post-harvest management/processing techniques which will have an impact on reduction of post harvest losses in perishable horticultural produce and will lead to sustainable development of our agrarian economy.

The aim of the book is to create capacity that would enable safe handl8ing of produce to process, package and transport to remunerative markets of as to minimize post harvest loss and improve net availability of quality saleable produce to consumers and net return to growers.

The book is useful to the food scientists, post harvest technologists, horticulturalists, Agri-business entrepreneurs, supply-chain management professionals, warehouse handlers, UG and PG students of agricultural universities." (jacket)