The majority of farmers in the Rasht Valley sell their crops on the fresh market. During periods of harvest, competition is fierce and the prices are low. When farmers store their harvest, they typically lose 30 percent to spoilage.

In this Trellis Fund project, UC Davis student Eduardo Gutierrez‐Rodriguez is working with the local agricultural organization Rushnoi to train local farmers in improved postharvest handling practices. The farmers are learning about new techniques in harvesting, storing and processing at the household level.