Development of risk assessment model for farmers in tomato supply chain

Tomatoes are amongst the most consumed vegetables in India. Due to various issues in cultivation and sale of tomatoes, it is not preferred by most farmers in Tamilnadu, India. This paper showers light on various problems faced by the farmers involved in the tomato supply chain process. Around 20 different issues were identified from literature, brainstorming with experts and direct interactions with farmers. These issues were categorized into three main categories namely Avoidable, Unavoidable and Manageable issues. Further the same are divided into five sub - categories namely finance, crop related, nature, labor and miscellaneous issues. It was identified that majority of the farmers faced labor shortage, knowledge of Post Harvesting Techniques (PHT), and transportation issues and basic amenities. Focusing on selective avoidable and manageable issues a conceptual model named “FArmers and COnsumers Only” (FACOO) has been designed such that it would reduce the impact on the tomato farmers and provide a better way to manage their produce at various stages and acquire profit.