LOGISTICS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES ON THE PRODUCTION SECTOR: THE EXAMPLE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Agro-food systems in Europe are becoming more and more dominated by large retailers who follow three types of strategies: grading, merchandising, and logistics (study of the flow of products and information within a commodity system designed to meet customer requirements). This paper describes logistics and its consequences on the European production sector, using the concept of a commodity system (set of strongly connected, vertically integrated elements) and drawing upon a systems approach, a "market structure analysis," and management science.

We plan to outline the importance of the logistical problem and to describe the modern logistical platform and its cluster of innovations.
We will then analyze some of its consequences on the functioning of commodity systems (the appearance of new distribution channels eliminates previous ones) and through it on the production sector (a "new" type of management is emerging). In conclusion, using the case of the south of France, we will discuss the place and limits of logistics, the capacities of reactions of producers, and the role of the research.

Horticulture in Human life, Culture and Environment

J.C. Montigaud, R. Andres, J.M. Ferry

Logistics, Agro-food systems, Supermarkets, Commodity system, Impact on production sector

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1995.391.14