vegetables in the U.S. in 1997 were $64.75 billion. A 30% loss repre-
sents $19.4 billion per year. A reduction in loss from 30 to 20% would
save over six billion dollars annually.
Product Quality
Quality is also lost as produce moves from farm to consumer. Fruit
and vegetables available for consumption often suffer from bruises, loss
of color, wilting, decay, mold, and other defects resulting from prehar-
vest and handling conditions. Declines in nutritional value are docu-
mented (Watada, 1987). However, there are two exceptions to the
common statement that postharvest handling can only reduce the rate of
quality loss, not improve the quality of produce. First, pears, bananas,
avocados, and other climacteric fruit undergo physiological changes after
harvest that increase consumer acceptability.
Secondly, the quality of produce leaving a packinghouse should be
better than what entered due to culling of unacceptable items and sort-
ing of acceptable items into common sizes, maturities, or other desirable
characteristics. The issue is whether reference is made to the individual
item to or the quality of the product in the box or shipment. (Sorting and
separating by humans on a flow of product is a production process for
improving quality, not an inspection operation for quality control.)
Value
As depicted in Figure 14.1, value increases along the chain from the
grower to the consumer. Thus, product is worth more when it is at the
point of geographical need. Value is also increased when the product is
available at the time needed and in the quantities desired. The goal of
businesses at each link is to add value to the product at a rate higher
than the rate of decline in quality.
Money
Money from millions of consumers funnels to the supermarket cash
register (till). The arrow for money in Figure 1 shows this flow from the
consumer to the grower. The decreasing intensity indicates that the
amount of money decreases as it flows along the links. Approximately
30% of the original amount reaches the grower for equipment, supplies,
labor, taxes, and so on.
Examples of Visual Models 273