Roads to the international market through rural transport and logistics in the pepper industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Rural transportation and logistics play a vital role in determining the quality of any agricultural commodities and not are exceptional to pepper. Assess, the availability and affordability of appropriate transport facilities and logistics are essential elements to reaching the geographically distinct export market. This paper aimed to identify the present status of rural logistics and transport and issues that hinder the market access of the black pepper supply chain and develop participatory mitigating strategies to overcome the challenges. A mixed-method approach was adopted to collect qualitative and quantitative data in major pepper growing districts in Sri Lanka. Results revealed that insufficient drying, threshing, and storage facilities lead to quantity, quality, and economic losses to the small-scale pepper farmers. Moreover, the less-developed road systems, high transportation costs especially due to the rapidly increasing fuel cost, improper packing materials, and poor storage facilities also poor compliance on safety and safety levels limit the earnings. In addition, lack of knowledge on safety and quality standards, and lack of literacy in marketing attributed to the farmers to still following the traditional methods in the production process (improper traditional primary processing). Results suggest implementing cluster processing centers for threshing, drying, and storing dried pepper and highlighted the need for the establishment of community-managed sun-drying yards. Further, developing rural road systems, and disseminating the knowledge on safety and quality standards of the pepper to the farmers were also identified as important strategies to overcome the existing challenges related to logistics and transportation.