Logistics network configuration for seasonal perishable food supply chains

Abstract

Purpose: The location of actors and production, transformation, commercialization and distribution facilities generate the configuration of the perishable food supply chain (PFSC). The logistics network design (LND) lead to different supply, storage and distribution environments and result in flows, these logistics operations have an impact on the performance of the chain of fresh agricultural products. Specifically, in the PFSC with seasonality, a temporary imbalance between supply and demand is generated, which affects the balance in the flows and affects the losses, costs and response capacity. This research study that problem.Design/methodology/approach: A multi-echelon, multi-objective and multi-product model is established that determines the configuration of the logistics network of the PFSC with seasonally and allows actors to approach efficiency frontiers, which contribute to their permanence in the markets. The model was applied to the case of the perishable fruit supply chain, in a developing country, Colombia. The population information was taken from government surveys and studies, which allowed parameterizing the model.Findings: The application of model permitted to answer the next questions: How does improve the performance from PFSC through logistics network design? And, How the existence of smallholdings in food production and from retail merchants is preserved? In the perishable food supply chain.Social implications: Where the perishable food supply chain actors are located in non-efficient borders and their sustainability may be affected by competition factors, the stakeholders should focus on increasing food availability and reducing losses to improve access and therefore food security.Originality/value: A new model for the logistics network configurations of seasonal perishable fruit supply chain was development, the optimizing from five objectives with two sub-models is obtained, one for surplus and the other for the deficit moments. The model includes real conditions, such as, fruit loss due T0 and RH by different thermal floors and the means used for the transport of fruits in mountain areas at countries in route of development. The impact over the small producers, retailers and consumers in the times of scarcity or surplus was analyzed.

An Empirical Study on How Livestreaming Can Contribute to the Sustainability of Green Agri-Food Entrepreneurial Firms

“…The seasonal problem requires the participation of multiple parties, which must be resolved by accelerating the construction of the supply chain system, goods collection warehousing, and cold chain transportation. It is a problem that cannot be solved by a single technology independently [101,102]. Although green agri-food firms recognized that livestreaming provides effective production and marketing connection, truly helps green agri-food firms, and effectively displays the characteristics of agricultural products, users can intuitively feel the locality and eco-friendliness of green agri-food.…”

Logistics network configuration: The solution for quality-related problems in long-distance transportation of mango in Indonesia

“…Orjuela-Castro et al [9] presented a similar case, focusing on a logistic network design for a seasonal perishable food supply chain. The logistics network design leads to different supply, storage, and distribution processes, resulting in flows.…”

“…Orjuela-Castro et al [9] established two multi-objective mixed linear programmings (MILP) submodels to determine the multiple configurations of the logistics network of the perishable food supply chain and allow stakeholders to approach the forefront of efficiency, which helps them to maintain the market persistence. The application of this model allowed the improvement of the performance of the seasonal supply chain through the design of the logistics network and the maintenance of smallholdings food producers and retail traders.…”

“…Orjuela-Castro et al [9] emphasized the importance of logistics network configuration for perishable food supply chains such as fresh fruits. They highlighted how the logistics network affects material flow balance, postharvest losses, costs, and response capacity.…”

Multi-objective model for perishable food logistics networks design considering availability and access

“…The balance of logistics flows derived from supply and demand could affect food security, given its effect on availability and access [37,38]. The PFSC there is an imbalance between supply and demand, there are periods of high and low supply to the which the demand does not respond in the same way, this affects the balance and therefore the logistic flows in the chain [34] For the evaluation of the performance of the SC, a series of metrics have been proposed which can be classified into efficiency, responsiveness, reliability, flexibility, quality, in the process and the parties involved [6,25]. For the PFSC there is a need to include quality, useful life, logistic performance and losses, as well as the access and the availability, elements from food security [5,39].…”