Assessment of Postharvest Storage Technologies for Mango (Mangifera indica) in Kaduna State Markets

Mango (Mangifera indica) is a commercially significant fruit crop in North West Nigeria, and Kaduna State occupies an important position in the regional mango supply chain linking farms in Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara states to urban markets. Post-harvest storage losses for mango in Kaduna markets are estimated at 30 to 50 percent of total harvest due to rapid ripening, mechanical injury, and inadequate storage infrastructure. This study assesses the performance and economic viability of three post-harvest storage technologies, ambient storage, evaporative cooling chambers, and wax coating combined with ventilated plastic crates, in extending the marketable life and quality of Alphonso mango in Kaduna State. A market-level experiment was conducted with 90 mango samples from three sourcing locations, using a randomized design across three storage methods. Physicochemical quality parameters including firmness, total soluble solids, weight loss, and external appearance were monitored daily over 14 days. Results indicate that wax coating with ventilated crate storage extended marketable life to 11 days compared to 4 days for ambient storage. Evaporative cooling performed intermediately. Economic analysis confirms wax coating as the most cost-effective technology for mango traders in Kaduna State. Keywords: mango, postharvest storage, evaporative cooling, wax coating, Kaduna State