A Study of Marketing Losses in Deciduous Fruit Trees in Baghdad Governorate: Economic Effects and Causes

Deciduous fruit trees are among the agricultural products most susceptible to spoilage and post-harvest loss due to their inability to withstand environmental conditions and inadequate marketing services. The study aimed to estimate post-harvest losses of deciduous fruits and then identify the most important factors causes leading to losses. Descriptive statistical and quantitative mathematical equations methods were used to analyze data collected from a random sample of fifty apricot and peach plantation growers, and a random sample of fifty wholesale traders of the two crops in local markets in Baghdad Governorate. The estimated results indicated that the monetary losses from marketing losses in the two crops apricot and peach at the level of plantation owners were estimated at approximately 39 and 28 thousand dollars for each, respectively. At the wholesale market level, the marketing loss rate for apricot and peach crops was estimated at approximately 22% and 10% for each crop, respectively, while monetary losses were estimated at approximately 55 and 10 thousand dollars for each of them, respectively. It became clear that the most vital elements causing post-harvest losses at the level of plantation owners are the falling of fruits during the picking and harvesting process and the failure to utilize them, while it was found that the most important factor causing post-harvest losses at the wholesale level is exposure to unsuitable environmental conditions in the market because of exposed supply of fruits. Therefore, farmers should be encouraged to be choosing appropriate dates and environmental conditions for harvesting fruits.