Up to 40% of fresh produce in Malaysia is thrown after harvest because it is considered 'ugly'

About 40% of crops in many Malaysian farms are discarded after harvest and thrown along road sides, rivers or even forest areas because they do not meet industry cosmetic standards. — THE LOST FOOD PROJECT

In farms across the world, massive quantities of fresh vegetables and fruits are often thrown away right after they are harvested simply because they suffer from the same blighted fate: they don’t look right.

In the United Kingdom for instance, an article in The Guardian in 2013 indicated that up to two-fifths of a crop of fruit or vegetable is discarded because it is considered ugly. In the United States, estimates show that the probable figures are close to 50%.