Please find below the Literature Review on Harvest and Post-Harvest of Breadfruit and also the outputs from the Workshop Group Activities. What we need to do now is to try to get answers to the questions that we have and any additional information that we have on this theme may also be added under the respective heading. 

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What do we know? 

•  Grading/sorting
•  Waxing
•  Water Treatment
• Traditional minimal processing (e.g water treatment)
•  Rod Plucking
•  Climbing using ladder
•  Picking up falling fruits
•  Quality index at harvest
•  Packing (Leno bags, gunny bags, bamboo baskets)

Where are we now? 

•  No information on existing varieties
•  Using traditional harvest technique
•  International post-harvest practices exist

Where should we be? 

•  Develop quality parameters (Norms/Standards)
•  Pruning activities
•  Early and late varieties
•  Develop dwarf and early maturity plants disease
• Packing to reduce post-harvest losses (e.g agricultural crates)         

What is missing to get there? 

•  Schemes/loans for post-harvest/harvest facilities
•  Effective collaboration between partners
•  No existing protocols for harvesting/post-harvest
•  Sharing of information
•  More research and development funding
•  International collaboration

Stakeholders involved in issues related to harvest and post-harvest

What questions are we asking ourselves? 

Question: At which stage to harvest? (Maturity index – optimum and actual) 

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Question: Is the practice of placing fruit in water documented and justified?

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Question: Do we have appropriate tools for harvest in Mauritius? e.g Aluminium poles 

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Question: After harvest (green), No. of days kept (stored)for local marketing? 

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Question: What can be done (Backyard/for local market) to increase shelf-life of breadfruit?

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Question: What are the recommended packaging/storage materials for Mauritius?

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Question: Appropriate methods to increase shelf-life?

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Question: Effect of pruning on yield/quality?

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Question: Develop protocol – Responsibility?

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Question: Can we put breadfruit in under cool conditions to increase shelf-life?

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Question: Which type of wax can be used? Available?

Answer: