Managing Perishability: Operational Insights into Food Loss Reduction in Ghanaian Vegetable Supply Chains

Title data

Grenzfurtner, Wolfgang ; Dankwah, Yaw ; Gruchmann, Tim:
Managing Perishability: Operational Insights into Food Loss Reduction in Ghanaian Vegetable Supply Chains.
2026
Event: 2026 EurOMA Conference , 27.6.-2.7.2026 , Vienna, Austria.
(Conference item: Conference , Paper )

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Abstract in another language

Reducing food loss is critical to improving sustainability and efficiency in vegetable supply chains (VSC), particularly in emerging markets. This study investigates food losses in a Ghanaian tomato supply chain using a multiple case study approach involving seven farmers and four retailers. The results show substantial losses during post-harvest handling, transportation, and retail operations, driven by infrastructural constraints, perishability, and coordination deficits. While adaptive operational practices partially mitigate losses, systematic reuse and circular strategies remain limited due to the missing infrastructure. The study provides operational insights into managing perishability and highlights challenges for circular FL reduction in emerging market VSC.