The management of temperature, ventilation, and relative humidity are the three most important factors that affect postharvest quality and storage life of horticultural produce. If products are stored for long periods (weeks), they need to be kept as close as possible to their ideal storage temperature to minimize quality loss. Once the product has been cooled, use low rates of air circulation to minimize water loss during storage, but sufficient to maintain uniform temperature. Importance of Post-harvest technology lies in the fact that it has the capability to meet food requirement of growing population by eliminating losses making more nutritive food items from raw commodities by proper processing and fortification. The main post-harvest factors influencing quality of fruits and vegetables are genotype, maturity stage, harvest and the applied technologies that affect the conditions during postharvest chain. Harvesting, sorting, grading, inadequate storage, handling, and transportation are the major operational causes of post-harvest loss and waste of fruits and vegetables in the agri-fresh produce supply chains. Post-harvest technology reduces the cost of production, packaging, storage, transportation, marketing, and distribution, lowers the price for the consumer and increases the farmer's income. The management of temperature, ventilation, and relative humidity are the three most important factors that affect postharvest quality and storage life of horticultural produce. Recommended storage temperature and relative humidity for cabbage, lettuce and carrots are 0 to 2 °C and 95 to 100% respectively. Post harvest management of horticultural produce is therefore the need of the hour in order to feed ever-growing population of the world in general and India in particular. The most important advantage of post harvest management and processing is the reduction of post harvest losses of fruits and vegetables. Temperature is the most important environmental factor that influences the deterioration of harvested commodities. Most perishable horticultural commodities have an optimal shelf-life at temperatures of approximately 0 °C. Among these are soil factors, such as pH, available nutrients, texture, organic matter content and soil-water relationships; weather and climatic factors, including temperature, rainfall and light intensity; the crop and cultivar; postharvest handling and storage; and fertilizer applications and cultural practices.

Several factors can affect the post-harvest quality of agricultural products, including:

Harvesting and handling practices: Improper harvesting and handling practices can damage the produce and result in bruises, cuts, or other injuries that increase the risk of decay.

Storage conditions: Poor storage conditions, such as inadequate temperature, humidity, ventilation, or lighting, can lead to spoilage and loss of nutritional value.

Transportation and distribution: Inappropriate transportation and distribution methods can damage the produce and reduce its quality.

Pest and disease management: Infestation by pests and diseases can cause damage to the produce and result in significant post-harvest losses.

Post-harvest treatments: Treatments such as cleaning, washing, waxing, or irradiation can affect the quality of the produce and its shelf life.

To minimize post-harvest losses and maintain the quality of agricultural products, the following measures can be taken:

Harvest the produce at the right time and handle it carefully to avoid damage.

Store the produce in appropriate conditions, such as temperature-controlled environments, to preserve its freshness and quality.

Use appropriate transportation methods, such as refrigerated trucks, to maintain the quality of the produce during transit.

Implement effective pest and disease management strategies, such as integrated pest management, to prevent losses due to infestation.

Use post-harvest treatments, such as washing and disinfection, to reduce microbial contamination and extend the shelf life of the produce.

Promote good agricultural practices and provide training to farmers and other stakeholders to improve their knowledge and skills in post-harvest management.

Develop and improve infrastructure, such as storage facilities, transportation networks, and market access, to reduce post-harvest losses and increase profitability for farmers.

A post-harvest loss contributes to the reduction of food supply and, hence, leads to high food prices in the market and thereby aggravating the food insecurity situation in the country. Reducing the postharvest losses, especially in developing countries, could be a sustainable solution to increase food availability, reduce pressure on natural resources, eliminate hunger and improve farmers' livelihoods.If products are stored for long period they need to be kept as close as possible to their ideal storage temperature to minimize quality loss. Once the product has been cooled, use low rates of air circulation to minimize water loss during storage, but sufficient to maintain uniform temperature. Fungicide is commonly applied for post-harvest disease control. Hot air, curing and hot-water brushing reduces disease incidence and increases the efficacy of antagonists. Biocontrol agents and botanicals may also reduce the amount of fungicide frequently used in postharvest disease management. Importance of Post-harvest technology lies in the fact that it has the capability to meet food requirement of growing population by eliminating losses making more nutritive food items from raw commodities by proper processing and fortification. The main post-harvest factors influencing quality of fruits and vegetables are genotype, maturity stage, harvest and the applied technologies that affect the conditions during postharvest chain. Temperature is the most important environmental factor that influences the deterioration of harvested commodities. Most perishable horticultural commodities have an optimal shelf-life at temperatures of approximately 0°C. Post harvest quality represents market quality, edible quality, transport quality, table quality, nutritional quality, internal quality and appearance quality.