Supply Chain Performance of Processed Fruit Products in Some Fruit Processing Units

Abstract

The present study was undertaken mainly to measure the supply chain performance of different processed fruit products in Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh. Five fruit processing units which were the only functioning units were selected. Products for which supply chains studied were: (i) tomato ketchup (ii) mixed fruit jam (iii) mixed pickle (iv) lemon squash and (v) jelly. The supply chains in all companies studied had only three participants viz. supplier, manufacturing unit and retailer. Important findings were: (i) The business cycle had a time period ranging from 107 days to 124 days; (ii) On time delivery average was 90%; (iii) Customer satisfaction average was 88%; (iv) Range of efficiency for tomato ketchup, mixed fruit jam, mixed pickle, lemon squash and jelly were: 1.181 to 1.245, 1.163 to 1.185, 1.153 to 1.215, 1.189 to 1.230 and 1.145 to 1.160 respectively.  None of the companies had backward, forward or vertical integration. There was no third party outsourcing for inventory management, distribution and logistics. Innovative infrastructural aspects like cross functional teams, partnerships, highly advanced information systems and cross-docking hardly existed. Ample scope for improving the performance of the supply chains in the fruit processing industries has been noticed.