Poor storage fuel massive agri losses
Nearly one-third of Bangladesh’s potato and tomato production is lost at various stages after harvesting, while post-harvest losses in rice average around 10.24%. Fish losses range from 22% to 25%, highlighting major challenges in the country’s agricultural supply chain.
Limited storage infrastructure, inadequate use of modern technology and poor management practices are contributing to the losses. These reduce the volume of marketable produce and farmers’ incomes while undermining efforts to ensure food and nutrition security.
The findings were presented in a paper at a seminar held on Friday at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council in the capital, marking World Food Day.
The paper was presented by Dr Khondaker Md Iftekharuddaula, chief scientific officer and head of the Plant Breeding Division at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).
He clarified that the figures were compiled from studies conducted at different times and did not represent the findings of a new study.
According to the paper, various studies have estimated post-harvest losses of potatoes at 21.8% to 31%, while losses in tomatoes range from 28% to 32.9%. This means a significant share of these crops is wasted before reaching consumers.
Rice also incurs substantial losses at different stages, including harvesting, transportation, threshing, cleaning and drying.
The total loss rate stands at 10.42% for the Aus season, 10.4% for Aman and 10.28% for Boro, averaging approximately 10.24% across the three seasons. For Boro rice, losses at the pre-harvest stage account for 0.37%, while losses during harvesting stand at 1.89%.
The rate is 0.83% when harvested paddy is piled in the field and 0.53% during transportation. Threshing accounts for 3.16% of losses, followed by 0.39% during cleaning and 3.14% during drying.
Post-harvest losses are also significant for other fruits and vegetables. Studies have reported banana losses ranging from 20% to 80%, although some studies put the rate at 34.6% or between 20% and 26.6%. Mango losses range from 27.2% to 37%, while the rates for papaya and pineapple stand at 39.9%–41.4% and 43%, respectively.
Losses in cauliflower range from 22% to 34.4%, while those in eggplant stand at 20.4% to 32%. Overall, post-harvest losses for fruits and vegetables are estimated at 25% to 40%, according to the paper.
Despite these losses, Bangladesh produces substantial quantities of agricultural commodities. Statistics presented in the paper show that the country produced 11.88 million tonnes of potatoes and 6.28 million tonnes of vegetables in the 2024–25 fiscal year.
However, losses during storage, transportation and marketing prevent the entire output from reaching consumers. This reduces farmers’ saleable produce and earnings while also affecting the availability of food in the market.
Dr Iftekharuddaula told Bonik Barta that Bangladesh still lacked adequate modern technology and infrastructure to minimise such losses.
“We are still a least developed country. Our access to modern technology and infrastructure is limited. Modern storage facilities and cold-chain services are also inadequate. Most activities, from harvesting onwards, are still carried out manually,” he said.
He noted that fruits, vegetables and fish are often sold on vans beside roads under direct sunlight, increasing the risk of spoilage. In haor areas, rice crops are sometimes damaged by flooding, while harvested paddy piled in the field can also rot.
“There is no alternative to expanding modern technology and infrastructure to reduce these losses,” he added.
Post-harvest losses in fisheries are another major challenge for the country’s food supply system. According to the paper, physical damage accounts for 0.82% of losses in marine fish, while losses in market value due to post-harvest deterioration stand at 6.41%.
Post-harvest losses are estimated at 25.45% for small fish and 18.2% for carp.
The findings underscore the need for improved storage facilities, efficient transportation, cold-chain infrastructure and better post-harvest management to reduce food waste, protect farmers’ incomes and strengthen Bangladesh’s food and nutrition security.
