Banana is an important fruit in Kerala, with Nendran being the major commercially grown variety. The losses occurring from various stages of production and post-production reduce effective output and weaken the marketing efficiency along the supply chain. The present study examines pre- and post-harvest losses along the Nendran banana supply chain in Kerala using primary data from 200 respondents comprising farmers, wholesalers, transporters and retailers in Central Kerala. Losses were quantified using a standard percentage loss approach and the determinants were analysed using a multiple regression model. The results indicated that the total losses amounted to 42.11 %, reflecting substantial inefficiencies across the supply chain. Pre-harvest losses at the farm level accounted for 10.11 %, mainly due to weather shocks and pest and disease incidence. Post-harvest losses showed an increasing trend along the supply chain, with a maximum at the retailer stage (15.51 %), followed by wholesalers (8.56 %). The losses recorded during transportation (4.39 %) and post-harvest (3.54 %) stages in the field were relatively lower. Climatic shocks and pest incidence were found to be significantly increasing the losses, while improved packaging quality, higher experience of farmers and the scale of operation helped to reduce the losses. Regression analysis confirmed that retailer-level losses were relatively higher than observed at other stages. The findings highlight the need for targeted stage-specific interventions to reduce losses and improve supply chain efficiency.
