The study indicates that the pre-cooling was effective in retaining superior fruit quality during storage by decreasing weight loss, retention of firmness and decreasing disease incidence. The tomato fruit harvested at the yellow mature stage had the lowest weight loss and reducing sugars, while ascorbic acid content was the highest in fruit harvested at breaker stage and stored for 28 days at 12±2°C. Pre-cooling resulted in significantly higher fruit quality attributes, yet the most effective stage of harvest for pre-cooling application was the yellow mature stage.