Assessment of Mango Losses by Value Chain Partners in the Korhogo Department, Northern Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

In Côte d’Ivoire, all actors in the mango sector are recording enormous losses due to the lack of pre- and post-harvest management. The aim of the study is to evaluate the quantities of mangoes lost by the links in the sector in the Korhogo department, with a view to their recovery as compost. It can fulfil a gap in the losses domain so that the services indicated will intervene in the sector, with a view to improving the quality of mangoes produced and revaluing the enormous quantities lost by the value chain partners. The data was collected by the method of individual surveys. The survey, carried out among 180 producers, 120 traders and 20 packaging units, focused on the different varieties produced, the planting density, the quantities of mangoes produced and the quantities of mangoes consumed, sold and lost. The data collected were analysed in Excel. The statistical parameters (means and percentages) were calculated and used for the construction of the distribution tables and histograms for each parameter analysed. According to the results of the survey, four different varieties of mango are produced, namely, Kent, Amélie, Kéitt and Zill. However, the Kent variety was most cultivated (86.75 %), consumed (87.5 %), packaged (100 %) and marketed (90%). The study also showed that the densities most encountered among mango producers were 150 and 200 plants per hectare, with respective proportions of 40 and 38.7 % of respondents. As for the quantities of mango lost, they were 53.6 % of production by producers, 67.2 % of quantities received by the packaging units and 68.3 % of the quantities purchased by resellers. These losses were caused by various factors, namely insects, diseases, physical damage and heavy rains. This study could thus constitute a basic document for stakeholders in the sector.