Buying in Bulk and Making Your Fruits and Vegetables Last Longer

Although the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) expects to see a decrease in the prices for some agricultural commodities ahead of the Christmas season, Jamaicans are still encouraged to buy fruits and vegetables in bulk, where possible, to realise savings.

When you do, there are certain ways to ensure that the fruits and vegetables you bought stay fresh for longer.

RADA’s Post-Harvest Specialist, Dwight Forrester, shares some of the tips to ensuring that you get more value for your dollar when purchasing agricultural commodities.

“Storage is important. The post-harvest management of fresh fruits and vegetables is very important to maintain the quality of the produce and to have it available to the consumer for a longer period of time,” he points out.

Using tomatoes as an example, Mr. Forrester says if the fruit is purchased partially ripe, the consumer will have it available to them for a longer time.

Tomatoes can also be cut into pieces and placed in a plastic bag or container, then placed in the refrigerator to be frozen. Keeping them at room temperature in a container outside of the fridge can also enhance the shelf life.

For lettuce, pak choi and callaloo, these can be stored in clear bags with ventilation holes and kept in the bottom section of the refrigerator or in an area that is close to room temperature.

“If there is any sign that the vegetables are losing moisture, what I would recommend is sprinkling water on the leaves,” Mr. Forrester advises.

Irish potato, he indicates, will have a very long shelf life if kept at room temperature and if there is free movement of air. Overall, he says very few fruits and vegetables require refrigeration.

The practice of buying in bulk is a highly beneficial one, Mr. Forrester informs, especially if the consumer is able to purchase their goods at the farm-gate level.

This not only reduces the price per pound for the commodities, but the consumer will also receive a product that has not passed through the chain and, therefore, has an increased shelf life in their homes.

However, Mr. Forrester cautions: “It is not a good idea to store ripe fruits with fruits that are green, because they produce ethylene naturally which is the hormone that causes fruits or vegetables to get ripe.”

Instead, he recommends storing ripe, mature fruits and vegetables separately from those that are unripe, to make the produce last longer.

Mr. Forrester maintains that national food security is of “utmost importance” to RADA, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, and the nation’s farmers.

“RADA and the Ministry are committed to ensuring that farmers and other interest groups are given the opportunity to produce to ensure that there is quality food on the table of consumers,” he says.

As such, the support extended to farmers has been ramped up, especially as Jamaica recovers from the drought that rocked the agriculture and other sectors this year.