Extension Education Institute, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500030
Online published on 15 March, 2019.
India ranks first in the world in the combined production of fruits and vegetables. But, the post harvest loss in fruits and vegetables is estimated to be around 35–40 per cent of the production. Due to inadequate linkages with markets and lack of processing facilities, wastage of fruits and vegetables leads to loss of value to both farmers and consumers. Hence, the supply chain needs to build a long term relation between retailers and farmers for procurement and providing extension services regarding use of inputs, production technology, and information on harvesting, prices, pre-cooling and grading, sorting, packaging and on-farm sorting. In this connection, a number of big corporate houses like Reliance, ITC, Aditya Birla group, Godrej, and Bharati have entered into the retail marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables. These new retail players are trying to strengthen the supply chain and provide benefit to the farmers. An exploratory research design was adopted to study the marketing channels and supply chain process of fruits and vegetables through retail outlets. The study was conducted in the three regions and three districts of undivided Andhra Pradesh state. Under the study the supply chain management SCM models identified are Reliance Fresh, More Super market, Food World Super market and Rhythu Bazaar. Major marketing channel for these models is &armer → Vendor → collection center → Retail outlet → consumer. In the present study Supply chain process of each model starts from the selection of farmer to the selling of the produce to the consumers.
