Quality in competitive fresh produce supply chains with application to farmers' markets

Fresh produce supply chains have special characteristics, notably, that the quality of the product (fruit or vegetable) deteriorates continuously over time, even under ideal conditions. In this paper, we begin with explicit formulae for fresh produce quality deterioration based on chemistry and temperature and provide a path-based framework. We then focus on farmers' markets, the popularity of which has been growing due to consumers' greater awareness of and interest in product quality and emphasis on health. Farmers' markets, as examples of direct to consumer channels and shorter supply chains, are studied in the framework of game theory in both uncapacitated and capacitated versions. A case study of apples in Massachusetts, under various scenarios, including production disruptions, provides quantitative evidence of the applicability of our supply chain network approach.     

Consumers’ willingness-to-pay for food safety labels in an emerging market: The case of fresh produce in Thailand

Food safety systems in emerging markets are currently facing a transformation period, becoming more stringent because of an increasing demand for safer food. Consequently, policy makers need to find strategies to increase food safety while giving the industry time to improve their performance. In Thailand, policy makers have adopted the strategy of upgrading food safety standards gradually. Government and private food safety brands and labels were introduced onto the market but little is known whether Thai consumers have preferences for them or not. This study is aimed at evaluating Thai consumers’ preferences for food safety labels and brands on fresh produce, using a surveyed based on discrete-choice experiments. A sample of 350 Thai consumers was surveyed in Bangkok and Nonthaburi in 2013. Quota sampling according to the shopping outlets and convenience sampling methods were adopted. Two hundred respondents were recruited at fresh-food markets and 150 respondents were recruited at supermarkets. We found that consumers are willing-to-pay more for both government led food safety label and private brands, but that there is high heterogeneity in their preferences. The high degree of social desirability for food safety labels confirms that food safety labelling policy should be supported. However, the provision of information and credibility are vital in order to mitigate the risk of consumer deception by self-claimed labels.     

Effects of scale economies and production seasonality on optimal hub locations: the case of regional fresh produce aggregation

Interest in supporting local and regional food systems is rising and food hubs have attracted considerable attention among Federal, State, and local policymakers. This study explores the problem of endogenous hub location in fresh produce value chains in the Northeastern United States. To overcome limitations in the literature, we incorporate the effects of economies of scale and production seasonality into our models. Three experimental models are designed to examine the effects of alternatively applying yearly, quarterly, and monthly data on model solutions. We explicitly assess how interactions of scale economies and seasonality influence the structure and spatial attributes of an optimal regional produce aggregation hub system. The three models generate marketed different solutions and in many respects they lead to different conclusions about developing local/regional supply chains. The monthly model allows for production seasonality and actual hub operation cycle frequency and thus leads to more efficient hub solution with rich policy implications.     

新疆发展蔬菜产业、稳定蔬菜价格的对策研究

蔬菜价格是推高居民消费价格总水平（CPI）的重要因素之一。进入2012年,新疆蔬菜价格呈现快速上涨态势,价格持续维持高位运行,居高不下,对城乡居民生活水平影响较大。本文从2012年上半年蔬菜价格变动特点入手,分析了蔬菜生产、流通等方面存在的问题及其价格偏高的原因,提出了促进设施蔬菜生产、保供应、稳价格的政策建议。     

The Geographic Extent of the Market for Soybeans and Soybean Products

This study looks at the question of whether soybeans, soybean meal, and soybean oil produced in the United States and exported were part of a single, world geographic market during the decade of the 1980s. An answer to this question is sought using an approach to defining a geographic market based on the notion of instantaneous causality. The empirical results suggest that there was but a single identifiable world market for these commodities over the period of study.     

Every ending is a new beginning: Poignancy increases consumer preferences for self-made products

Retailers and brands such as IKEA, Home Depot, and Build-a-Bear encourage consumers to ‘make’ their products rather than be passive recipients. While a growing literature explores ‘why’ consumers purchase self-made products, it is less understood ‘how’ marketers can develop effective advertising and marketing communications to promote such products. Building on the functionalist framework of emotion, the present research explores the potential of a mixed emotional appeal – poignancy – that may be useful in enhancing consumer preferences for self-made products. Notably, this effect is mediated by a fresh start mindset and openness to learning. The effect is also attenuated among consumers with a low personal control. In addition to having substantive practical implications to marketers in developing effective communication strategies, this research offers a novel perspective on the effect of poignancy on consumer decision making.     

农超对接风险识别与防范对策研究

农超对接试点成功后已经进入全面推广应用阶段,认清农超对接风险隐患对于促进农超对接健康发展具有重要意义。在识别农超对接行为风险、契约风险、市场风险和突发风险四个主要风险源的基础上,分析了农超对接风险的传导路径,最后从农民专业合作社管理和发展、对接平台建设、行业监管和超市社会责任建设三个方面提出了防范对策。     

我国生鲜蔬菜供应链问题及优化研究

近年来,随着农业产业结构的调整和农业技术的进步,我国生鲜蔬菜供给量稳步增长,产品结构不断优化,基本能够满足社会需求。但是由于生鲜蔬菜具有较强季节性、地域性和易腐性,这对生鲜蔬菜的储运、加工、运输、销售等物流环节提出了特殊的要求。生鲜蔬菜的这种特性决定了其在供应链管理活动中具有自身的独特性,这就需要我们综合的考虑生鲜蔬菜从农户到餐桌等各个环节,运用现代供应链理念和技术,构建反应灵敏、反馈及时、质量安全、符合市场需求的生鲜蔬菜供应链模式。文中从分析生鲜蔬菜供应链的特性入手,分析了我国生鲜蔬菜供应链存在的问题,并提出了有效的整合生产组织成员、全程冷藏运输、构建生鲜蔬菜物流信息平台、建立健全蔬菜质量监督管理系统等优化生鲜蔬菜供应链的措施。     

固相萃取—液相色谱分析蔬菜中噻菌灵和苯菌灵残留量

[目的]建立一种同时测定蔬菜中噻菌灵和苯菌灵残留量的方法。[方法]样品采用酸性甲醇提取,提取液经LC-SCX固相萃取小柱净化,以甲醇-甲酸（0.05%）为流动相,配备Symmetry-C18柱、紫外检测器（280 nm）的高效液相色谱仪对待测组份进行了分离和测定。[结果]噻菌灵在蔬菜样品中的添加回收率在77.2%～102.0%之间,变异系数（RSD）小于10%;苯菌灵在蔬菜样品中的添加回收率在75.4%～96.6%之间,变异系数（RSD）也小于10%,均满足残留分析要求,噻菌灵和苯菌灵在样品中的最低检出浓度为0.01mg/kg。[结论]本方法操作过程简单快速,重复性好,能满足蔬菜中噻菌灵和多菌灵残留量同时检测的要求。     

固相萃取——液相色谱分析蔬菜中多种苯甲酰脲类昆虫生长调节剂残留量

[目的]建立一种同时测定蔬菜中多种苯甲酰脲类昆虫生长调节剂残留量的方法。[方法]样品经过乙腈提取,ENVI-18固相萃取小柱净化,以乙腈-甲酸（0.05%）为流动相,配备Symmetry C18柱、紫外检测器（258nm）的高效液相色谱仪对待测组份进行了分离和测定。[结果]空白蔬菜样品中除虫脲、灭幼脲、杀铃脲、氟铃脲、氟丙氧脲和定虫隆添加回收率分别在80.60%～100.80%,75.75%～98.91%,70.20%～98.33%,74.20%～95.00%,75.64%～95.50%和78.62%～97.30%之间,相对标准偏差（RSD,n=6）均小于10%,最低检出浓度（S/N=3）分别为0.013,0.014,0.014,0.013,0.013和0.014mg/kg。[结论]本方法操作过程简单快速,重复性好,能满足蔬菜中除虫脲、灭幼脲、杀铃脲、氟铃脲、氟丙氧脲和定虫隆残留量的检测要求。