If tomatoes are to be used in the ripe condition, they should be picked at the earliest when they are at least mature green. Immature tomatoes do not ripen after harvest. The actual stage at which they should be picked depends upon local preference and custom in each country. Tomatoes have reached the mature-green condition when they are fully rounded and have changed from dark to medium or light green, and the skin develops a waxy gloss. As ripening is initiated, the fruit shows a pale pink or yellow tinge, which develops through a definite pink to full red. Most tomatoes are harvested at the early ripening or pink stage, depending on market preference and the time they take to reach the retailer. Tomatoes to be consumed
immediately can be harvested when fully ripe.
Tomato fruit stalks have a natural break-point. Mature fruit readily breaks away from the cluster when pressure is placed on this point while lifting the fruit upwards. Tomatoes are best harvested into plastic buckets (pails) and transferred if necessary to plastic field crates holding not more than 20 to 25 kg weight.
Post-harvest
Selection and grading. All decaying, damaged, undersized and sunburned tomatoes should be discarded. Size-grading for the local market is normally done by retailers. Internal urban markets, including supermarkets, may have differential prices for size grades as against un-graded fruit. Catering and institutional buyers do not normally demand size-graded fruit.
Post-harvest treatments.
Only those tomatoes which are in good condition are marketed, there should be no need for any post-harvest treatments. Tomatoes produced on a large commercial scale may be subjected to artificial ripening; but in countries where production is mostly on a small scale, this is not necessary since tomatoes are normally harvested at maturity and ripen naturally.
Packaging.
For local markets tomatoes can be packed in baskets or other traditional containers assuring careful handling, i.e. rigid enough to protect the contents from being crushed. For urban markets cardboard telescopic boxes or wooden or plastic trays with capacities of not more than 10 kg, should be used.
Size-graded tomatoes can be pattern-packed in 2 layers for green produce and one layer for ripe red produce to make best use of the box. Un-graded tomatoes are jumble-packed to a given weight.
Storage
Tomatoes have a relatively poor storage capability. Green mature fruit can be held for up to two weeks at 18-20o C and 90-95% Relative Humidity, but for less time under ambient tropical temperatures. Fully ripe tomatoes have only 4 to 7 days’ storage life, at 13-15o C and 90-95% Relative Humidity.
