VALUE CHAIN #

Preparation for Market

Cleaning

Cleaning of okra generally involves the elimination of leaves, stem sections, and other types of debris from the pods. Broken pods should also be discarded. This should be done in the packing area while the pods are spread on a flat surface or conveyor belt. Okra should not be washed, since this would lead to a greater incidence of postharvest decay.

Grading

The initial grading of the harvested okra should take place in the field at the time of harvest. Pickers should separate unmarketable or damaged pods from the marketable ones. Oversized and partially decayed pods should also be removed from the plant and out-graded in the field. Even with some preliminary grading at the time of picking, the okra pods arriving from the field are usually quite variable in size, shape, and colour.

Grading for uniformity of appearance is important to satisfy the buyer. At the packing house, the pods are usually graded according to size, shape appearance and amount of surface defects. The pods intended for market must be fresh, tender, not badly misshapen, and free from decay and damage. The stems should be cut cleanly and not have the appearance of being torn off the plant.

Okra is usually graded into the following sizes:

• Fancy; pods up to 9 cm (3.5 inches) long
• Choice; pods 9 to 11.5 cm (3.5 to 4.5 inches) long
• Iumbo; pods over I1.5 cm (4.5 inches) long but still tender.

The pods should be well formed, straight, and not show signs of dehydration or discolouration. Pods which are severely curved, malformed, or have dark spots should be discarded. The pods should be tender and not fibrous, and have a colour typical of the cultivar (generally bright green). Most export markets prefer fancy grade okra.

 

 

Packing

Only uniformly appearing pods should be put in the same package. Care should be taken

to avoid injury to the pods during the grading process. The tender pods are easily damaged during handling, especially along the ribs. This leads to unsightly brown and

black discolouration.

Okra is packed in various sized containers differing in volume and weight, depending on the market destination. Domestic markets usually receive okra in sacks or baskets, although these packages provide minimal protection to the contents. Fiberboard cartons are the most common type of package for export markets. Typical sizes used are 4.5 kg (10 lb), 7 kg (ls lb), and 14 kg (30 lb). The cartons should be well ventilated and strong. The carton should have a 275 psi bursting strength in order to avoid collapse while stacked on a pallet. One-piece self-locking cartons or two-piece telescopic cartons are the most widely used package materials. Okrra should be cooled and sent to the market as soon as possible after packing.

 

Temperature Control

Okra has a high rate of respiration and deteriorates rapidly, unless the pods are cooled

soon after packing. Heat build-up will accentuate spoilage and cause pod blackening.

A bleaching type of injury may also develop when okra is held in non-ventilated harvest

containers for more than 24 hours without refrigeration. Unless intended for immediate

marketing pods should be cooled within a few hours after harvest.

The ideal storage temperature for okra is lO’C (50″F). Pod quality can be maintained for up to 10 days at this temperature. When held at higher ambient temperatures, pod quality

quickly deteriorates due to dehydration, fading of the green colour, and decay. Oka held at 25oC (75oF) will become soft and unmarketable within 2 to 3 days. On the other hand, okra held at temperatures below l0oC will develop chilling injury.

 

 

Relative Humidity Management

Oka is very susceptible to postharvest moisture loss and pod shrivelling. This results in a reduction in market quality as the pods lose their fresh appearance. In addition, pod texture is adversely affected due to an increase in toughening. In order to minimize dehydration, it is important to maintain the pods in a high relative humidity environment. Ideally, okra should be held at 95% RH.

http://agriculture.gov.gy/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Okra.pdf

 

Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality

Maturity and Quality

Maturity Indices

Okra pods are immature fruits and are harvested when they are very rapidly growing. Harvest typically occurs 3 to 7 days after flowering. Okra should be harvested when the fruit is bright green, the pod is fleshy and seeds are small. After that period, the pod becomes pithy and tough, and the green colour and mucilage content decrease.

Quality Indices

Okra pods should be tender and not fibrous, and have a color typical of the cultivar (generally bright green). The pods should be well formed and straight, have a fresh appearance and not show signs of dehydration.

Grade is

U.S. no. 1. Pods are packed based on length with Fancy, Choice and Jumbo designations for size categories. Okra should be free of defects such as leaves, stems, broken pods, insect damage, and mechanical injury. The tender pods are easily damaged during harvest, especially on the ridges and this leads to unsightly brown and black discoloration. Quality losses that occur during marketing are often associated with mechanical damage, water loss, chilling injury, and decay.

 

 

 

Temperature

Optimum Storage Temperature

7-10°C (45-50°F)

Very good quality can be maintained up to 7 to 10 days at these temperatures. If stored at higher temperatures, the pods lose quality due to dehydration, yellowing and decay. When stored at lower than recommended temperatures, chilling injury will be induced (see physiological disorders). Chilling symptoms include surface discoloration, pitting and decay. Okra can be successfully hydrocooled or forced-air cooled.

Optimum Relative Humidity

Weight loss is very high in immature okra pods and cultivars may vary in rate of water loss. A very high relative humidity (95-100%) is needed to retard dehydration, pod toughening, and loss of fresh appearance.

Rates of Respiration

Okra pods have very high respiration rates.

Temperature 5°C (41°F) 10°C (50°F) 15°C (59°F) 20°C (68°F)

ml CO2>/kg·hr 27 – 30 43 – 47 69 – 72 124 – 137. To calculate heat production multiply mL CO2/kg·hr by 440 to get Btu/ton/day or by 122 to get kcal/metric ton/day.

 

Rates of Ethylene Production and Responses to Ethylene

Okra pods have low ethylene production rates (<0.5 µL/kg·hr at 10°C). Exposure to ethylene reduces shelf-life by increasing pod yellowing.

Responses to Controlled Atmospheres (CA)

Okra is not stored in modified atmospheres commercially. At recommended storage temperatures, CO2 concentrations of 4-10% can help maintain green colour and reduce discoloration and decay on damaged

pods. CO2 concentrations higher than 10% can lead to off flavours. Low O2 concentrations (3-5%) reduce respiration rates and may also be beneficial.

Disorders

Physiological Disorders

Chilling injury

The typical symptoms of chilling injury in okra are discoloration, pitting, water-soaked lesions and increased decay (especially after removal to warmer temperatures, as during marketing). Different cultivars may differ in their susceptibility to chilling injury. Calcium dips and modified atmospheres have been reported to reduce chilling symptoms.

Freeze damage: occurs at temperatures of -1.8°C (28.7°F) or below.

 

Pathological Disorders

Decay on okra can be due to various common bacterial and fungal organisms, but chilling and injury enhanced rots are probably the most common causes of loss. Rhizopus, Geotrichum and Rhizoctonia fungal rots as well as bacterial decays due to Pseudomonas sp. have been reported to cause postharvest losses.

Source: Perishables Handling #107, August 2001

http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/pfvegetable/Okra/

 

Okra Buyers

Click https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/okra-buyers.html for more information.

 

AMRITESWARI AGROPLUS PRIVATE LIMITED

Products: Semi Husked Coconut / Mature Coconut / Fresh Coconut / Raw Cashew Nut / Indian Cashew Nut / Elephant Foot Yam.About Us: AgroPlus ‘Live a Healthy Life’ with Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts…Supplier of: okra | Fruits and vegetables – import-export | fresh coconut | semi husked coconut

Brands : AgroPlus ‘Live a Healthy Life’

 

JASPER IMPEX

We can supply the best quality of okra/ladyfinger in bulk quantity. We can also supply fresh organic mango (KESAR).We can also supply best quality of banana in bulk quantity Supplier of: okra | Agriculture – import-export | ladyfinger

INDIA – Ahmedabad

 

IMMORTAL PRODUCE CO.

…consists of: Fresh tomatoes, Clemson Variety Okra, Indian Type Okra, Eggplants, Zuccini, White Marrow, Mini Cucumbers, English Cucumbers, Green Hot Chillies, Red Hot Chillies, Habanero Peppers, Supplier of: fresh okra | Vegetables, fresh | fresh vegetables

JORDAN – Amman

 

NICKYS NURSERY LTD SEEDS AND GARDEN GAMES

Nicky’s Nursery stock an enormous range of seeds and gardening sundries, we are dedicated to bringing our customers the highest quality products. Our range is one of the most comprehensive in the UK…Supplier of: Bedding plants, bulbs and seeds | Games, garden | Grass seeds | vegetable chilli seeds uk | flower seeds uk seed company

UNITED KINGDOM – Kent

 

 

BAK KARDESLER LEBENSMITTELHANDELS GMBH

Our family business from the Rhine-Neckar region was founded as a retail company in 1986 by the five Baklan brothers. It has now developed into an international company that conducts business all…Supplier of: Food specialities | delicatessen products | egg garganelli | ethnic and oriental food products | wholesale organic foods

 

ALTUS FOODS UGANDA LTD

Altus Foods (U) Limited is a Kampala based company that specializes in the production and export of quality, fresh & healthy fruits and vegetables from Uganda. WE MONITOR OUR OUT-GROWERS AT ALL…Supplier of: exporters hot pepper okra chillies | Agriculture – import-export | exporter of fruits and vegetables | leading exporter uganda sweet potatoes | quality fresh fruits an vegetables

UGANDA – Kampala

 

AIMAS COMPANY

I would like to introduce our company , we have a 26 years of experience in sale of fruits and vegetables products from Jordan Valley with best quality of fresh fruit and vegetables specialize in…Supplier of: cucumber white marrow chili eggplant okra herbs | Agriculture – import-export | we export to europe and canada | we have a fresh fruits and vegetables | exporter

JORDAN – Amman

 

OKRA OTTO KRAUTTER

Supplier of: Steels and metals – machining | Steels and metals – surface treatment and coating | Industrial building construction | Metal construction, lightweight | Machine tools – metal machining

GERMANY – Oppenweiler

 

SANO FOOD GROUP

• Frozen Okra. • Frozen Cut Green Beans. • Frozen Artichokes. • Frozen Jute Leaves.Supplier of: iqf frozen okra | Fruits and vegetables – import-export | iqf frozen strawberry | iqf frozen cut green beans | iqf frozen artichoke

EGYPT – El-Giza

 

KENTIM

We have Chilli, Hotpepper, Okra, Passion fruits, Ginger, Cavendish Banana, Egg plants, Avocado, Coffee, Cocoa among other products.Supplier of: chilli hotpepper okra passion fruits avocados | Fruits and vegetables – import-export | exporters of organic tropical fruits vegetables from ugand | cavendish banana eggplants ginger sugar cane | and other crops like coffee cocoa nuts and beans

UGANDA – Kampala

 

OKRA LANDSCHAPSARCHITECTEN B.V.

Supplier of: Engineering – industrial contractors | Equipped offices and industrial premises – services

NETHERLANDS – Utrecht

 

VIGNESWAR EXPORTS

…today proudly marches ahead as the pioneer and leading grower, processor and exporter of the quality agro based products, particularly pickled Gherkins, Onions, Okra, Baby Corn, Jalapenos in IndiaSupplier of: Fruit preserves | gherkins | pickles

INDIA – Tirunelveli

Click here for more http://www.europages.co.uk/companies/pg-2/okra.html

 

Grades of Okra for Processing

U.S. No. 1 consists of pods of okra of similar varietal characteristics which are fresh, tender, fairly well colored, fairly well formed, free from decay and worm holes, and free from damage caused by scars, bruises, cuts, punctures, insects, discoloration, dirt or other foreign material or other means. Pods in this grade are at least fairly well trimmed, unless specified as well trimmed or poorly trimmed.

U.S. No. 2 consists of pods of okra which meet the requirements of U.S. No. 1 grade except those for color, shape and trim. Okra in this grade may be pale green in color, moderately misshapen and poorly trimmed. https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/okra-processing-grades-and-standards

Detailed standards, Inspection Instructions & Other Resources:

U.S. Grade Standards for Okra for Processing (pdf)

Inspection Instructions for Okra for Processing (pdf)