Vegetable Supply Chain in Bangladesh

Abstract
Bangladesh is witnessing rapid changes in retailing with urbanization, increase in disposable income, changing lifestyle, preferences and eating habits of its population. Bangladesh with diverse agro-climatic conditions offers both opportunities and challenges in retailing of vegetables. Concentration of production with small and medium farmers in remote areas without proper infrastructure facilities and market linkages has led to large scale inefficiencies in supply chain. Supply chain management is a powerful tool to achieve this collaboration. Through supply chains, producers in developing countries and emerging economies can access market information and knowledge to hone their value-added activities. The advantages of supply chain management are numerous, like the reduction of product losses, increase in sales, reduction of transaction costs, a better control of product quality and safety and the dissemination of technology, capital and knowledge among the chain partners. Supply chain management tools have been developed and implemented throughout the chain to guarantee optimal chain performance. Supply chain development not only benefits the private sector but also creates spin-offs that stimulate social, economical and environmental sustainable development in the region (employment generation, added value, decreases of product losses, etc.). Public support (e.g. development of the institutional infrastructure) plays an important role to create an enabling environment for private sector development. Public support might take the form of a public private partnership in a supply chain to share experiences, risks and bottlenecks. In Bangladesh however, supply chain development is often hampered due to lack of governmental support. Institution building, raising awareness, pilot chain projects and the development of a toolkit are important activities to foster supply chain development. This paper reviews issues of the development of supply chains with