Care should be taken to ensure that no foreign matter, weeds or toxic plants are mixed with the harvested medicinal plant material. Harvested material that is damaged or decomposed should be retrieved and disposed of during and after harvesting to avoid microbial contamination and loss of product quality. [3]
Harvested plant material must not be piled up on the ground. Contact with soil should be avoided to minimise the microbial load of harvested medicinal plant materials. If necessary, large pieces of clean cloth can be laid on the ground to protect the crop. [3]
Harvested plant material must be collected in containers such as bags, baskets, wheelbarrows or trailers that are clean and dry. Residual moisture and possible contamination by soil or other materials must also be avoided. [3]
Equipment should be stored in a dry, pest-free place out of the reach of livestock and domestic animals. [3].
Mechanical damage or compaction of raw medicinal plant materials, such as from overfilling or stacking of bags, which may lead to spoilage or other loss of quality, should be avoided. [3]