Wastage of food

• One third of the food produced worldwide for human consumption is lost of wasted
• In developing and developed countries, wastage of food occurs at different stages of food supply
• In developing countries, most wastage occurs during the stages of production.
• Incorrect harvesting methods
• poor storage and cooling facilities
• extreme weather conditons
• infestation by pests
• diseases in animals
• In developed countries, most wastage occurs during the stages of consumption
• Food that is still edible but has an expiry date, is often discarded
• If food in the supermarket is not sold by its sell-by date, it is discarded or donated to non governmental organisations that distribute it to the needy
• Commercial farms often produce food surpluses which lead to massive wastage, since this food is often discarded because the selling price is not high enough.