A holistic approach for the design and management of an agri fresh produce supply chain: a literature review

Abstract

The paper is a systematic review of the existing literature on the operational research models applied by previous researchers in the context of an agri-fresh produce supply chain. The paper aims to generate a deeper understanding of the trends and mathematical modelling methods used in previous research by employing a structured taxonomy of literature classification. A chain of intermediaries tends to play a critical role in delivering agri-fresh commodities from farmers to consumers. These intermediaries perform various functions including the collection, preservation and delivery of agri-fresh produce, creating linkages among all stakeholders of the supply chain. Essentially, the study summarizes most of the technical, organizational and functional solutions that have been used to design optimal fresh produce supply chain management approaches. Findings of the paper generated by applying a systematic literature review protocol have significant practical implications and stress the crucial of holistic approaches for the design and management of Agri-fresh produce supply chains with a view to overcoming current challenges in production, distribution and inventory management.