2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
An economic Study on Distribution Networks and Traceability Systems for Imported Fruits and Vegetables
| Project/Area Number |
15580191
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Agro-economics
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| Research Institution | Chiba University |
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Principal Investigator |
KEINO Seiji Chiba University, Faculty of Horticulture, Professor, 園芸学部, 教授 (40024591)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
SAKURAI Seiichi Chiba University, Faculty of Horticulture, Associate Professor, 園芸学部, 助教授 (60334174)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2005
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| Keywords | Traceability / Imported Vegetables / Marketing Systems / Chinese Vegetables / Safety in Foods / History in Productions / Infrastructure / Discriminated Products |
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| Research Abstract |
Traceability has drawn increasing attention, amid rising concerns about food safety and declining consumer confidence, within the research community focusing on the distribution networks for agricultural products. We examine the distribution networks and traceability systems for imported fruits and vegetables, based on a case study of imported vegetables from China. Following the incidence where a significant amount of agricultural chemicals was discovered in marketed vegetables in 2002,the regulations governing vegetable exports from China underwent major transformations. Under the new regulations, only the vegetables produced either on the exporting or processing firms own farms or on their contracted farms can be exported. There are also additional requirements for the management of production processes, chemical use and output quality. The distribution networks for exported vegetables under the new regulations are more streamlined but are also more expensive than they were before because of the higher costs of managing the system. Under the new regime, the vegetables exported from China have increasingly been distinguished for their greater attention to food safety and consumer confidence. In response to the transformations in distribution systems, there have emerged exporting and processing firms who have introduced traceability systems and have made publicly available the information on production history. While the greater attention paid by Chinese producers and exporters to food safety and consumer confidence has been increasingly recognized in the market, there is a need for greater coordination among various actors involved in the distribution channels of Chinese exports, which still have much to be desired compared to Japanese produce. In addition, a potential for moral hazard problems cannot be ruled out in the use of traceability systems for imported fruits and vegetables.
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Research Products
(14 results)
