Technological Implications of Supply Chain Practices in Agri-Food Sector: A Review

In the present era, business is in a global environment that compels the enterprises to consider rest of the world in their competitive strategy analysis, despite of location or principal market base. The firms cannot isolate themselves or ignore external factors such as economic trends, competitive positions or technology advancement in other countries. While going truly global with supply chain management, a company develops product in the United States, produce in India and trade in Europe, and they have changed the traditional operation management & logistical activities. This change in trade and the modernization of transport infrastructures have elevated the importance of flow management to new levels. Manufacturers and researchers have noticed many problems concerning supply chain activities. Usually either a system or subcomponent in supply chains is discussed in the literature, but they fails to answer the rational (why, what, how) behind them. An attempt has been made in this paper addressing a review of the principles, bottlenecks and strategies of supply chain practices for organizations to sustain in the global market, with an emphasis on the implications of Indian agri-food sector. Findings of this review reveal that the associated economic benefits in sustainable agri-food supply chains can be achieved through innovation, supply chain collaboration, elimination of uncertainties and introducing global supply chain practices into green and lean initiatives.