Supply Chain is Essential for Seamless Distribution of Food

Food Marketing and Technology Magazine, India had an opportunity to interact with Rubal Jain, Managing Director, Safexpress. He talked in detail about logistics and changing scenario in the industry.

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1 COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT SAFEXPRESS’ SERVICES FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY?

Everything stops if supply of food is disturbed. Countries without exception have ensured that all the players involved in its value chain are treated as essential actors, much like hospitals and pharmacies. In India, more than two-third of final products manufactured and processed by food & beverage companies is comprised of non-food grain items like poultry, dairy, fruits & vegetables, frozen food, edible oil, sugar, and other perishable items. These are low-shelf life products and are handled mostly by nonfarm players.

In India, several large enterprises including TNCs are operating from over 40 Mega Food Parks, running their own food processing and manufacturing facilities. These mega food parks then are connected with 21 other food parks located in different zones.

The National Sample Survey suggests that post-farmgate activities are undertaken in semi-urban areas, towns, and tier-II cities in regions that are close to farm areas. Such physical proximity reduces transit time and logistics cost, and add a measure of speed to the whole process that is relevant to perishable goods.