Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) losses and wastes in supply chain and its implication on natural resources : a case study in Allahabad District, Uttar Pradesh, India | |
| Author | Pant, Minakshi |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.AB-15-02 |
| Subject(s) | Spinach Horticultural products--India Natural resources--India--Management--Case studies |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirementsfor the degree of Master of Agribusiness Management, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. AB-15-02 |
| Abstract | Reduction of food losses and waste ranks high on the agenda of many policymakers in order to curb losses along the supply chain. Post-harvest losses and waste appear to occur mostly at farm level in less developed countries. As per the FAO food balance sheets it was found that 40% of the food loss in developing countries occurred at the post-harvest levels. In this context the supply chain management plays an integral role, especially in India where still at many places conventional supply chain methodologies and practices are followed everyday. And this concept of post-harvest losses become crucial for green leafy vegetables such as –spinach. The present study thus, aimed to evaluate the different supply chainsof spinach (Spinaciaoleracea)existing in Allahabad district, Uttar Pradesh, India. The study showed that the four existing supply chains followed by mainly four supply chain actors is outdated. The supply chain actors-farmers, commission agent, retailers and consumers (commercial) follow the same traditional method of packaging and transportation without any cold storage facilities. The FLR for spinach was computed for all four supply chains and the results reveals that the losses and waste increases with the increase in supply chain actors or intermediaries, that encounters the loading and transportation losses in thesupply chain segments. It was found that FLR was maximum for SC 4 for commercial belt with loss rate of 76% and 70% for domestic belt. For domestic belt loss rate was 45%, 57% and 61% in SC 1, 2 and 3, respectively. While for commercial belt, 57%, 66% and70% FLR for spinach was calculated.The work also includes the findings of WF and WFL in all four existing supply chains. WF for irrigation, agro-chemical and cleaning was 29907±30163, 10.55±6.7 and 146±20 L, respectively. The WFL varied proportionately in all supply chain. The maximum WFL was found in supply chain 4 as 21212±20764 and 23269±22703 in domestic and commercial consumer’s belts, respectively. At retail sector, 11 to 19 % of water loss was also computed for 100 kg purchase of spinach. While for commercial consumers 6% water losses were found. The LF was found to be 111.32±60.9 m² and LFL was 50.63±30.6, 63.96±38.2, 68.65±40.7, 78.86±46.0 for domestic consumers and 64.72±37.9, 75.01±44.0, 78.66±46.0 and 86.52±50 m² for commercial consumers in supply chain 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively.The energy embedded in the wasted spinach was also computed. The {u1D438}{u1D437}and {u1D438}{u1D43C}{u1D441}{u1D437}was calculated as 137.63±81.4 and 117.28±56.8 MJ per 100 Kg potential produce. And the total energy input was 254.92±130 MJ/100 Kg potential produce. It was found that 76% of this energy was embedded with wastes with value of 193.15±92.1 in SC 4 and minimum 147.45±72.3 in SC 1 which is 58% of total energy (commercial consumers) and 175.61±83.8 (69%) in SC 4 and 115.18±58.2 (45%) ofthe total energy (domestic consumers). The transportation energy embedded with wasted spinach was also lost which ranged as 4 to 6% for farmers and 19 to 29% for retailers. While, 17% for domestic and 37% for commercial consumers was found at consumer’s end.The results for associated price losses showed that losses in SC 1 causes comparatively less price losses because of the low FLR of spinach. The farmer’s, retailer’s and consumer’s losses share (in USD) ranged as 1.17 to 2.32, 5.13 to 1.3, and 3 to 9(domestic) and 7 to 19 (commercial) for the consumers in all four different supply chains at different associated prices. |
| Year | 2015 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. AB-15-02 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agribusiness Management (AB) |
| Chairperson(s) | Soni, Peeyush |
| Examination Committee(s) | Loc Thai Nguyen;Chaiyaphol Kaewprakaisaengkul |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Thailand (HM Queen) |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Am.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2015 |