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What Is Missing in Food Loss and Waste Analyses? A Close Look at Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Markets

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  • Ren Jie Zhang

    (School of Finance and Accounting, Fuzhou University of International Studies and Trade, Fuzhou 350202, China)

  • Brian Lee

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan)

  • Hung-Hao Chang

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan)

Abstract

Food loss and waste (FLW) has been the subject of significant research, with recent empirical evidence analyzing the determinants of FLW in many different countries. Much of this literature examines FLW at the farm, food processing, and consumer level. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study thus far has addressed this issue at food wholesale markets. This paper fills this knowledge gap by examining food loss at fruit and vegetable wholesale markets. Using a dataset with individual auction transactions from Taiwan, we examine the extent to which average daily market prices, product quality, and disaster shocks are associated with food loss. Results point to a negative effect of daily market prices on food loss. Furthermore, disaster shocks can lead to greater food loss, particularly typhoons. These effects are heterogeneous across the distribution for the weight of food loss.

Suggested Citation

  • Ren Jie Zhang & Brian Lee & Hung-Hao Chang, 2019. "What Is Missing in Food Loss and Waste Analyses? A Close Look at Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Markets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:24:p:7146-:d:297598
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    References listed on IDEAS

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