Low cost ripening chamber - A boon to mango growers in Kerala

GI Kuttiatoor mango is a popular and tasty traditional mango cultivar of Kuttiyattoor and the nearby Grama panchayaths of Kannur district. Mango farmers were practicing traditional method of ripening for years which resulted in non uniform ripening, reduced shelf life and increased post harvest losses and leads to lower price in the markets. The study was conducted at selected farmers field by constructing a low cost ripening chamber of 1.6m X1.4 mX1.8 m height size with one side opening. In this technology Etherel (8 ml) and sodium hydroxide (2 g) was used for release of ethylene gas in the chamber. The chamber capacity is about 1ton. The unripe mature mangoes in plastic crates were kept inside the air tight ripening chamber for 24 h for enhancing ripening process. The results of study revealed that with low cost ripening chamber the ripening time was 3d where as the time required for traditional method was almost 7d the recovery percentage of mangoes in low cost ripening chamber and traditional method were 90 per cent and 70 per cent respectively. The benefits observed were reduction of post harvest losses in mangoes, labour and time saving.