Value stream analysis of Riceberry rice's supply chain in Thailand

Abstract

Rice is the staple food in many Asian countries, especially Thailand. Riceberry rice is one of the most popular rice varieties in Thailand which has been given more attention by Thai consumers because it is rich in antioxidants and has high nutrition content. This research study aims to analyze the related activities of Riceberry rice's supply chain to conduct a comparison study of its performance based on three major cultivation regions. Value stream mapping analysis was applied to identify and compare the activities of the Riceberry rice supply chain by collecting data regarding the supply chain process using site visit, observation, and interview, starting with the farmer, the rice mill operator, and the seller or distributor. The ECRS technique was employed to suggest a new approach that can improve the logistic performance of the Riceberry rice supply chain. The result showed that the cycle time ratio of value-added and non-value-added activities in the Riceberry rice supply chain in the northern, central, and northeastern parts of Thailand are 92.29%:7.71%; 88.48%:11.52%, and 89.05%:10.95%, respectively. Furthermore, why-why analysis and the ECRS technique were implemented to evaluate the root cause of the inefficiency of the process and to recommend approaches for improvement. Finally, a recommendation was suggested which illustrated that the total cycle time of the Riceberry rice supply chain in the northern, central, and northeastern parts of Thailand could be reduced by 2.59%, 4.51%, and 3.87%, respectively.