Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
an understanding that the value of a commodity increases as the product
moves through the chain to the consumer and that money and information
should move freely back from the consumer to the producer. Between the
extremes of farmers' markets and street stalls in developing countries and
almost vertical-integration producers/shipper/supermarkets, information and
money fl ow must occur. Frequent disruption of this communication fl ow can
occur when there are numerous suppliers and buyers separated by wholesale
and spot markets.
In addition to information fl ow, the reduction in seasonality of many
commodities by global sourcing and new production technologies has
heightened the need to manage inventories. No longer is a fi rst-in-fi rst-
out credo sui cient. Supermarkets strive to set quality standards, delivery
schedules and minimize inventory at both the distribution warehouse and
the individual outlets. This is achieved, in part, by forward contracts, so that
inventory and quality can be managed, storage costs minimized and in-store
losses reduced.
The management's practices used at all the steps from harvest to the
consumer (Fig. 5.4) play a crucial role in maintaining quality and safety of
tropical fruit. The requirements to maintain quality and safety are the same
in developed and developing markets. In most cases, application of current
knowledge will bring the handling system to a high level of quality and
safety assurance. A major limitation for small-scale operations is often lack
of resources, infrastructure, marketing systems and the availability and
understanding of the tropical fruits' handling requirements. These limitations
can be overcome by consolidation, using marketing companies, associations
and cooperatives.
In all logistic chains, and particularly for tropical fruit handling,
managers play a central role. This role is equally as important in developing
markets, where labour costs maybe much lower than in developed markets.
Ef ective supervisor and worker training, and retraining, as to their role in
maintaining fruit quality and safety, is crucial. The role and the responsibilities
of supervisors and workers must be stressed to maintain quality and safety,
and worker productivity and development of problem-solving skills. Frequent
fruit-handling logistics problems are seen when supervisors do not have
problem-solving skills or the authority for implementation of changes. Often
supervisors must ask permission from the owner or a few owner-trusted
persons to make changes in the postharvest handling of a specifi c shipment,
thus reducing worker productivity.
CONCLUSIONS
The quality of fruit sold to consumers and the measure of postharvest success
depends upon fi ve factors. The fi ve factors are the initial fruit quality at
