Pre-cooling is the rapid removal of field heat from freshly harvested agricultural produce immediately after harvest in order to slow down respiration, reduce moisture loss, delay ripening, and maintain quality throughout the supply chain. In production and supply chain management in agribusiness, pre-cooling plays a critical role in preserving shelf life, minimizing quantitative and qualitative losses, ensuring food safety, and enhancing market competitiveness. Since fruits and vegetables are highly perishable and continue metabolic activity after harvest, the speed and efficiency of pre-cooling significantly influence downstream operations such as grading, packaging, storage, transportation, and retail distribution. Various methods are used for pre-cooling depending on the type of commodity, scale of operation, investment capacity, and supply chain requirements. Room cooling is one of the simplest and most commonly used methods. In this system, harvested produce is placed in a refrigerated room where cold air circulates around stacked crates or cartons. The cooling process occurs gradually as the cold air absorbs heat from the produce. Although this method requires relatively low capital investment and is easy to operate, it is comparatively slow and may take several hours to remove field heat completely. Room cooling is suitable for less perishable commodities such as potatoes, onions, apples, and citrus fruits that can tolerate slower cooling rates. In supply chain management, room cooling is often used at collection centers or packhouses serving small and medium-scale farmers. Forced-air cooling, also known as pressure cooling, is a more rapid and efficient method than room cooling. In this system, powerful fans draw cold air through stacks of produce packed in ventilated cartons or crates. The airflow is directed through the packages, ensuring uniform and faster heat removal. By reducing the cooling time significantly, forced-air cooling minimizes moisture loss and maintains product freshness. It is widely used for berries, grapes, leafy vegetables, and other high-value perishables. From a supply chain perspective, forced-air cooling enhances throughput at packhouses and supports just-in-time distribution to distant markets. However, it requires proper packaging design with adequate ventilation to ensure effective airflow. Hydro-cooling involves the use of chilled water to remove heat from produce. Since water has a higher heat transfer capacity than air, hydro-cooling is faster and more efficient than air-based methods. Produce may be immersed in cold water or sprayed with chilled water as it moves along a conveyor system. This method is particularly suitable for commodities that can tolerate wetting, such as sweet corn, carrots, radishes, and certain fruits like cherries. Hydro-cooling not only cools the produce rapidly