Abstract
Agricultural products move through several channels before reaching the final consumers. The collection process of vegetable must be effective and efficient to avoid losses in the supply chain of vegetables. The Dambulla Dedicated Economic Center (DDEC) is considered as the main hub of vegetable and fruit distribution in Sri Lanka. The objective of this research is to analyze the role of DDEC in collection of vegetables in Sri Lanka and explore whether the center meets the best practices of vegetable collection. Transportation, packing and packaging, role of middlemen, and training and knowledge on vegetable collection process were reviewed. Data were collected using a semi structured questioner from 70 farmers linked to the DDEC. High level of quality degradation, poor packing and packaging, lack of knowledge and training on collection, and inefficient role of middlemen were identified as the main issues related to the vegetable collection process of DDEC in Sri Lanka.
Highlights
The production of fruit and vegetables around the world has grown in an increasing rate compared to cereal crops (Ayalew, 2015)
It was found that most of the farmers tend to use costshared vehicles with few other farmers to deliver the vegetables to the Dedicated Economic Center (DDEC)
This research has explored the role of DDEC in collection of vegetables in Sri Lanka
Summary
The production of fruit and vegetables around the world has grown in an increasing rate compared to cereal crops (Ayalew, 2015). During 2020, the agricultural sector in Sri Lanka has contributed 8.36 percent to the GDP of the country which is on an increasing rate compared to7.54 percent in the year 2019. Most of the farms are based in very isolated rural areas and the distance to the main road has made this industry very competitive and costly for small scale local farmers. Another reason would be the less bargaining power due to various credit bound issues with buyers and the farmers get exploited when the transactions happen. Analyzing the prevailing collection process of vegetables in the Sri Lankan market has become more important for taking actions towards setting up a smooth and efficient vegetable collection process in the country
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