Economic evaluation of postharvest losses and utilization of hard‐to‐cook beans: A case study in Chile

A methodology was developed to quantify postharvest economic losses due to bean hardening, and was used to predict losses in the main variety of beans consumed in Chile. Losses caused by bean hardening during storage in Chile were determined from a survey and a model of the post‐production trade system. The survey involved nine farmers and four wholesalers in the bean growing area. After one year of storage, losses due to hardening were significant at both ends of the commercialization chain. The model used dynamic simulation of the post‐harvest trade chain of beans in Chile to predict the losses. The overall economical loss due to this defect in tortola beans only, was estimated at almost US$4 million per annum. Of this loss, 34% was attributable to physical losses, 41% to nutritional losses and 24% to extra energy required to cook beans. Alternatives to reduce energy consumption were evaluated.

Key words:

• Postharvest losses
• economic evaluation
• market chain
• tortola beans
• hardening model
• pretreatments
• cooking