scholarly journals Approaches to Reduce Food Losses in German Fruit and Vegetable Production

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 6576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Ludwig-Ohm ◽  
Walter Dirksmeyer ◽  
Kathrin Klockgether
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Food Retail ◽  
Cooling Systems ◽  
Protected Cultivation ◽  
Food Losses ◽  
Fresh Products

Food losses occur in all agricultural value chains, but are especially high in the fruit and vegetable sector. This study quantifies losses of selected fruits (strawberries, apples) and vegetables (lettuce, carrots), identifies the main reasons for food losses, and assesses effective measures for the reduction of these losses. Data were collected in structured interviews with value chain actors from production to food retail and validated in regional expert workshops. Results show that in average years, about 25% of the analysed vegetables are lost at farm level. The range of fruit losses differs widely, from 15% to 20% for strawberries and only 6% to 16% for apples. Weather is a major factor for crop losses, since it can strongly affect product appearance and hence marketability in the food retail sector. There is a lack of alternative market channels for products, which do not meet the high-quality standards for fresh products in the retail sector. Effective measures to reduce food losses are protected cultivation in greenhouses or under hail nets, continuous cooling systems, improved packaging and training of staff. More cooperation and coordination between producers, wholesalers and retailers could also increase the share of marketable products.

scholarly journals Parenting advantages of emerging market multinationals (EMNCs) in luxury fashion retailing

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huifeng Bai ◽  
Weijing He ◽  
Jin Shi ◽  
Julie McColl ◽  
Christopher Moore
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Brand Management ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Resource Utilisation ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Sampling Frame ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emerging Market Multinationals ◽  
International Retailing

PurposeThis empirical research, adopting an international retailing perspective, aims to examine the parenting advantages offered by emerging market multinationals (EMNCs) in luxury fashion retail sector.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers adopted a qualitative case study, and the qualitative data were collected through ten semi-structured interviews with senior managers.FindingsIt is a win–win situation for the EMNCs as parent groups of Western luxury fashion brands, as the EMNCs can access critical assets including advanced brand management expertise, retailing know-how, and the services skills needed for higher income consumers. Meanwhile, the subsidiary brands benefit from a high degree of autonomy, intra-group resource utilisation, a competitive brand portfolio and most importantly economies of scales in the value chain, particularly in production. The perceived risks of EMNCs ownership include potentially restricted autonomy and the uncertainty over corporate development activities in the future, as well as the risks of diluting brand image caused by the inconsistency between country of origin and country of ownership.Research limitations/implicationsVery few EMNCs have moved into luxury fashion retailing to date, which means that the sampling frame was small. The findings were generated from China, which is perceived to be of considerable psychic distance in terms of culture and policies compared to other emerging markets that have been heavily influenced by colonialism.Practical implicationsThis paper suggests that practitioners, particularly EMNCs, support their subsidiary luxury fashion brands through parenting advantages and develop their own high-end fashion brands through internationalisation.Originality/valueThis empirical study contributes to the current international retailing literature by offering in depth insights of parenting advantages offered by EMNCs in luxury fashion retailing. It also enriches the EMNC literature, which has mainly adopted an international business scope, by extending this understanding into luxury fashion retailing.

International firms in Africa’s food retail business-emerging issues and research agenda

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Adamu Nandonde ◽  
John Kuada
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Food Retail ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Retail Business ◽  
Emerging Issues ◽  
Buying Behaviour

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the state of the retail sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, to point out the lack of information on some critical issues and to raise some questions about relevant topics for researchers and practitioners in the retail area for the African market. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is comprised of a comprehensive review of the literature and integrates the fragmented body of knowledge on the area of retail internationalisation and food marketing. The gaps in the literature identified here may help to understand the sector better and develop academic research agendas on both the growth of the modern food retail sector and the agribusiness sector in Africa. Findings – Four major topics were identified in the urban agri-food retail business in the African continent: large global retailers in Africa’s food sector; the internationalisation of African food retailers; the procurement practices of international retailers; and, the food-buying behaviour of Africa’s middle class. Originality/value – This research paper relied heavily on grey literature such as newspapers and unpublished masters’ dissertations and PhD theses. With this material as a context, this paper provides guidance as to how scholars can advance the study of retail internationalisation in Africa, not only through further empirical and conceptual research but also by developing usable prescriptions for agribusiness value-chain actors on the continent.

scholarly journals Swot analysis and identification of the needs, potential and development strategies of the fruit and vegetable sector in Montenegro

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
Radislav Jovović ◽  
Dragoljub Janković
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Swot Analysis ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Wine Production ◽  
Market Opportunities ◽  
Market Trends

Fruit and vegetable production in Montenegro benefits from naturally favourable conditions in terms of climate, soil and water resources. Such conditions enable high quality fruit, vegetables and vines to be grown, and fruit and vegetable production and viticulture have a long tradition as well as the cultivation of a wide assortment of produce. A significant number of Montenegrin households therefore deal with horticultural and wine production, although on a small-scale. Along with the global market trends, the level of domestic consumption, the expected evolution of the distribution system in Montenegro and the planned dynamic developments in the tourist sector, these natural conditions contribute to creating basic conditions for the development of the considered sector. Market opportunities are favourable and represent an additional contributing factor towards its development. In spite of the favourable climate for production in this sector and the supportive market opportunities, the real value of Montenegrin products at sector level is quite low. We conduct a SWOT analysis of the sector aimed to find out its potential as well as the needs of the sector. Our starting hypothesis is that the potential of this sector in Montenegro is greater than current activity/production, and that suitable strategies can provide higher results in this sector. The main outcome of this paper will be our suggestions for improvement within the sector. The SWOT analysis will be completed according to the PESTEL categorisation, after which Opportunities and Threats will be grouped into three major strategic categories: “New market trends”, “Sector financing” and “Structure and functioning of the value chain”. The SWOT analysis outcomes, when regarded alongside a review of global market trends and domestic production potential, lead to strategies for the improvement of the sector.

scholarly journals Efficient value chain as a factor for reducing losses and ensuring food security

2020 ◽  
Vol 222 ◽  
pp. 06030
Author(s):  
Nikolay Belyaev ◽  
Lyudmila Donskova ◽  
Olga Zueva
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Safety Requirements ◽  
Food Losses ◽  
Product Sales

The authors consider the situation in the field of losses formation in the production and circulation of fresh fruits and vegetables in the context of the effective value chain formation. Relevant aspects of research in this area were the importance of fresh fruits and vegetables in the formation of a healthy lifestyle, the lengthening and complication of supply chains associated with the expansion of sales markets and the presence of significant losses in this area. Features of fruit and vegetable production and commodity properties of fruits and vegetables, quality and safety requirements determine the need to build effective communication along a single chain, including the stages associated with the implementation of technological processes, the organization of product sales, and the stage of consumption. It is established that at each stage there are risks of food losses. The main conclusions of the authors include the presence of an integrated approach, mandatory consideration of the specifics of the product group under consideration, and compliance with the requirements of current international standards in the field of fresh fruits and vegetables circulation. The proposals include such areas as technological solutions for waste processing, use of the principles of charity and reverse logistics at the sale stage, and principles of responsibility for consumers.

scholarly journals Planting Fruits and Vegetables in Homegarden as a Way to Improve Livelihoods and Conserve Plant Biodiversity

Agriculture ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melaku Mathewos ◽  
Kitessa Hundera ◽  
Lisa Biber-Freudenberger
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Diversity Assessment

Multi-story cropping systems are used to grow fruits and vegetables in rural homegardens, and it has been argued that they are crucial for the food and nutrition safety of rural populations. They also are considered as refuges for a number of plant species, and as one way to reduce pressure on the surrounding ecosystem by providing resources such as food, fiber, and firewood to farmers on their own farmland. This study was conducted to assess the contribution of fruits and vegetables in homegardens to household livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in the Yayo biosphere reserve in southwestern Ethiopia. The role of fruits and vegetables was evaluated for 96 households that were selected randomly from both fruit and vegetable users and only vegetable-user strata. To collect socioeconomic data, semi-structured interviews, direct observation, and focus group discussions were employed. A complete enumeration of plant species was done for diversity assessment in 48 homegardens from four kebeles (the smallest administrative unit in Ethiopia) in the Yayo and Hurumu districts and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA. The results indicated the highest plant diversity, with a total of 76 species identified from 38 families. Fruit and vegetable users were found to harbor more diversity in their homegardens compared to only vegetable-user homegardens. Homegarden size correlated significantly with species richness. Fruits and vegetables in homegardens were found to considerably contribute to household food consumption and total annual income independent of wealth categories. We also found a significant negative relationship between fruit and vegetable use and forest product harvesting, indicating the reduction of pressures on nearby forest ecosystems. This study supports the idea that fruits and vegetables contribute to biodiversity conservation directly as the entity of homegarden agrobiodiversity and indirectly through minimizing households’ demand for forest harvesting by providing food and generating income. Nevertheless, fruits and vegetables were not contributing at their full potential, which was mainly due to disease problems, pests, and a lack of better market access. Therefore, further research and interventions are needed to help farmers confront these challenges affecting fruit and vegetable production and productivity.

scholarly journals The challenges of aligning aggregation schemes with equitable fruit and vegetable delivery: lessons from Bihar, India

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory S. Cooper ◽  
Karl M. Rich ◽  
Bhavani Shankar ◽  
Vinay Rana
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Local Market ◽  
Governance Structures ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Informal Governance ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type

PurposeAgricultural aggregation schemes provide numerous farmer-facing benefits, including reduced transportation costs and improved access to higher-demand urban markets. However, whether aggregation schemes also have positive food security dimensions for consumers dependent on peri-urban and local markets in developing country contexts is currently unknown. This paper aims to narrow this knowledge gap by exploring the actors, governance structures and physical infrastructures of the horticultural value chain of Bihar, India, to identify barriers to using aggregation to improve the distribution of fruits and vegetables to more local market environments.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses mixed methods. Quantitative analysis of market transaction data explores the development of aggregation supply pathways over space and time. In turn, semi-structured interviews with value chain actors uncover the interactions and decision-making processes with implications for equitable fruit and vegetable delivery.FindingsWhilst aggregation successfully generates multiple producer-facing benefits, the supply pathways tend to cluster around urban export-oriented hubs, owing to the presence of high-capacity traders, large consumer bases and traditional power dynamics. Various barriers across the wider enabling environment must be overcome to unlock the potential for aggregation to increase local fruit and vegetable delivery, including informal governance structures, cold storage gaps and underdeveloped transport infrastructures.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first critical analysis of horticultural aggregation through a consumer-sensitive lens. The policy-relevant lessons are pertinent to the equitable and sustainable development of horticultural systems both in Bihar and in similar low- and middle-income settings.

Russia in the World Production and Market of Potatoes and Fruit and Vegetable Products

2020 ◽  
pp. 74-83
Author(s):  
Yu.I. Agirbov ◽  
◽  
R.R. Mukhametzyanov ◽  
E.V. Britik ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
World Market ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Global Rating ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
World Production ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Vegetable Products ◽  
The World ◽  
Qualitative Changes

In 1961-2018 in the world as a whole, the gross harvest of potatoes increased from 290.6 million tons to 368.2 million tons, that is, 1.36 times. Over the same period, the production of vegetables and food melons increased from 197.7 million tons to 1,088.8 million tons (5.51 times), and fruits and berries from 199.9 million tons to 867.8 million tons (4.34 times). In a number of states in 1992-2018 the corresponding increase significantly exceeded the average values for the world as a whole, as a result of which their place in the global ranking increased, and the positions of some traditional producers of potatoes and fruits and vegetables decreased. For example, in terms of gross harvest of potatoes in 1992, Russia was in first place, and Poland was in third, while in 2018 they were in 4th and 9th positions, respectively. In terms of vegetable production, Italy and Japan were displaced from 4th and 5th places, which were taken by Turkey and Nigeria. In terms of gross harvests of fruits and berries, Turkey occupied the fifth position in total world production by 2018, although in 1992 it belonged to Italy. Quantitative and qualitative changes inevitably have a significant impact on both the volume of the world market and the parameters of international trade in potatoes, vegetables and melons, fruits and berries. Processes in foreign economic liberalization and economic integration contributed to an increase in the specialization and concentration of production of relevant plants in countries with more favorable natural and climatic conditions, as well as a gradual increase in demand for potatoes, vegetables and melons, fruits and berries from a number of states, including those that used to meet the needs of their population in large volumes at the expense of their own producers. The Russian Federation is one of the significant players in the world potato and fruit and vegetable market. Despite the increase in gross fruit and vegetable production in recent years, Russia’s positions in the global rating dropped from 7th to 10th place in vegetables and melons, from 20th to 31st place in fruits and berries. As for potatoes, there was a decrease in the volume of its production, as a result, Russia dropped from 1st place in 1992 to 4th place in 2018.

scholarly journals Quantity and quality food losses across the value Chain: A Comparative analysis

Food Policy ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 101958
Author(s):  
Luciana Delgado ◽  
Monica Schuster ◽  
Maximo Torero
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Quality Food ◽  
Food Losses

scholarly journals From Denmark to Delhi: the multisectoral challenge of regulatingtransfats in India

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 2273-2280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shauna M Downs ◽  
Anne Marie Thow ◽  
Suparna Ghosh-Jerath ◽  
Justin McNab ◽  
K Srinath Reddy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vegetable Oils ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Suitable Alternative ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Key Informants ◽  
Implementation Challenges ◽  
Upper Limit ◽  
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils

AbstractObjectiveIndia has proposed legislating an upper limit oftransfat in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and mandatingtransfat labelling in an effort to reduce intakes. The objective of the present study was to examine the complexities of regulatingtransfat in India by examining the policy processes involved and the perceived implementation challenges.DesignSemi-structured interviews (n18) were conducted with key informants from various sectors. Interviewees were asked about sources oftransfat in the food supply, existing policies that may influencetransfats and perceived challenges related to the proposedtransfat regulation, in addition to questions tailored to their area of expertise. Interview data were organised based on common themes.SettingInterviews were conducted in India.SubjectsInterviewees were key informants from various sectors including agriculture, trade, industry and health.ResultsSeveral themes were identified related to the complexity of regulatingtransfat in India. A lack oftransfat awareness, the large unorganised retail sector, a need for suitable alternative products that are both acceptable to consumers and affordable, and a need to build capacity were crucial factors affecting India's ability to successfully regulatetransfat. The limited number of food inspectors will create an additional challenge in terms of enforcement oftransfat regulation.ConclusionsAlthough India will face challenges in regulatingtransfat, legislating an upper limit oftransfat in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils will likely be the most effective approach to reducing it in the food supply. Ongoing engagement with industry, agriculture, trade and processing sectors will prove essential in terms of product reformulation.

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