Cold chain in India: A study on Apple supply chain

Abstract

Many products which are consumed today like dairy, fruits, vegetables, medicines, meat etc. need to be consumed immediately after production. They are perishable if kept at room temperature and have a shelf life of few days. In order to prolong their shelf life, they need to be maintained at colder temperatures right after harvest/production until consumed by the end-consumer. This necessitates use of a temperature controlled supply chain – a cold chain. A cold chain is a sequence of actions and equipment used to maintain a product in the desired low temperature range from manufacturing to consumption. It can be considered a mix of science, process and technology. It is science as it requires the understanding of biological and chemical processes associated with the perishability of the product. It is a process because it requires sequence of actions to be performed to manufacture, package, transport and store the perishable goods. It is technology because it relies on physical equipment to carry out these steps in the desired temperature range.