Post-harvest technology refers to the stage of crop production immediately following harvest, including cooling, cleaning, sorting, and packing. The goal of post-harvest handling is to keep the product cool to avoid moisture loss and slow down undesirable chemical changes, and to avoid physical damage such as bruising to delay spoilage. Sanitation is also an important factor to reduce the possibility of pathogens that could be carried by fresh produce. Post-harvest processing is usually continued in a packing house, which can be a simple shed providing shade and running water or a large-scale, sophisticated, mechanized facility with conveyor belts, automated sorting and packing stations, walk-in coolers, and the like.

The post-harvest system encompasses a sequence of activities and operations that can be divided into two groups: Main elements of the post-harvest system and Marketing. Marketing is the final and decisive element in the post-harvest system, although it can occur at various points in the agro-food chain, particularly at some stage in processing. Moreover, it cannot be separated from transport, which is an essential link in the system.

Post-harvest physiology is the scientific study of the plant physiology of living plant tissues after picking. It has direct applications to post-harvest handling in establishing the storage and transport conditions that best prolong shelf life.

In summary, post-harvest technology involves a range of measures and techniques that are used to preserve the quality and safety of crops after they have been harvested. These measures include cooling, cleaning, sorting, and packing, and are designed to minimize moisture loss, prevent physical damage, and reduce the risk of contamination by pathogens.