Empirical Study on the Reorganization of Fruit and Vegetable Distribution for Food Business

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06269
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 41020:Rural sociology and agricultural structure-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Sakazume Hiroshi 北海道大学, 農学研究院, 教授 (80258665)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 加工業務用青果物 / 川下主導 / 小売・外食企業 / 中間業者 / 互酬的取引

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fruit and vegetable market for processing and food service is expanding because of need for labor-saving in producing area and precooked food in supermarkets. It is, however, difficult for an agricultural cooperative to sell fruit and vegetables directly to supermarkets and food service industries, because the demand and order of these firms are unstable. Therefore, some intermediary including a wholesaler in a wholesale market connects producing side and retail side and regulates the interests of both sides.
There is some ground for reciprocal trade of producing side to retail side, because the price of precooked food is stabler than fresh fruit and vegetables.

Free Research Field

食料農業市場学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今日、スーパーや外食チェーンなど流通の川下に位置する企業のパワーが強大化する中、ニーズが高まっている惣菜や食材について、その原料となる青果物（加工業務用青果物）の円滑な流通のため、中間業者が産地と川下企業との間に介在して数量調整等の機能を果たしていること、惣菜などの価格は比較的安定していることから、その原料青果物の取引でも価格引き下げ圧力は生鮮青果物に比較して小さい可能性があることを明らかにした。