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The post-harvest and marketing system is a chain of interlinked activities starting after the harvest time and continuing until the delivery of the food product to the consumers. An efficient post-harvest system ensures that the harvested product reaches the customer in the shortest possible time interval without compromising the volume, quality, and safety of the product. The objective of this paper is to identify and model the critical causal factors of post-harvest losses (PHL) in the fruit and vegetable (F&V) supply chain in India, with the help of a detailed literature review and expert opinions. Fifteen causal factors were identified using the decision making and trial evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method, which is a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) tool. This was applied for determining the cause-effect relationships among the identified factors. The results highlighted that the most critical factors that should be tackled to ensure progressive PHL reduction are: lack of proper packaging facilities (PHL3), lack of proper storage facilities (PHL1), insufficient infrastructure (PHL4), improved handling of the products at the farm and marketplace (PHL2), lack of processing facilities (PHL5), lack of linkage between the farmers and processing units (PHL6), lack of linkages in the marketing channel (PHL9), and large number of intermediaries (PHL15). The findings of this study are intended to guide various supply chain members and decision-makers for reducing PHL and improving the overall performance of the F&V supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, most manufacturing organizations have been experiencing pressure to incorporate sustainability practices in their supply chains. The key reasons behind this pressure may be stated as increased consumer awareness towards environmental issues, stricter environmental laws and regulations, and increased competition. This paper seeks to identify the factors affecting sustainability adoption in the Indian automobile supply chain and investigate the inter-relationships existing among them. The factors have been identified on the basis of a comprehensive literature review and expert opinion. Data were collected through a survey of 157 Indian automobile companies; a carefully prepared questionnaire was used as research instrument. Partial least square (PLS) approach was used to investigate the relationships among various factors leading to sustainability performance. Results indicate that external influence and expected sustainability benefits positively affect top management's commitment towards adoption of sustainable practices. Further, it was found that a better buyer–supplier relationship positively impacted the triple bottom line of sustainability which comprises economic, social, and environmental performance measures. The buyer–supplier relationship was assessed after breaking it down to three constructs - supplier selection, supplier development and supplier performance review. This study is unique and carries a high originality value as it offers a better understanding of: 1) each construct (supplier selection, supplier development and supplier performance review) of the buyer–supplier relationship; and 2) every construct's effect on each dimension (economic, social and environmental) of supply chain sustainability of the Indian automobile industry. Such a comprehensive and detailed study involving the observation of each construct of the buyer–supplier relationship, and analysis of the effect that each construct has on the three dimensions of sustainability has not been carried out before. This way, the study makes a significant contribution to the existing body of literature. The present study has several practical implications which would enable managers to adopt sustainable practices in their supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the corporate sustainability of agro-food value chains, business organizations need to rely on a higher performing and more reliable logistics system. Particularly, in case of dairy industry, organizations are facing some important challenges containing people management, short shelf life, high food losses and wastage, high greenhouse gas emissions. Based on "Confederation of Indian industry - Dairy Vision 2025", it is believed that the dairy sector in India has high potential if organizations can develop an effective logistics and supply chain system. This article attempts to analyze the interaction between distribution related challenges with a focus operational excellence and higher corporate green growth and sustainability viewpoints in food supply chains by considering the business example of four Indian dairy product based organizations using graph theory and matrix approach. Several key challenges were identified based on a literature survey and experts' views. Graph theory and matrix approach has been applied to select the most significant challenge. The results show that food organizations must work on cold chain to manage logistics and distribution challenges to reduce wastage, decrease financial losses and to take environmental issues into account. This paper ranks the challenges as well as develop an index for the dairy industry to achieve corporate sustainability in its supply chain and logistics network. The present study findings will provide useful knowledge for managers and policy makers managing interaction between people and process aspects and corporate sustainability management in the agro-based diary organizational logistics and supply chains. This is one of the unique studies in food supply chain that helps in improving the logistics and supply performance in diary industries of emerging economies. Image 102787 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]