Major Challenges The Food Shipping Industry Will Face In 2022- The world needs the food supply chain for its sustainability. Many of us think that the food supply chain is a finely tuned logistics process. However, it is constantly evolving and faces many challenges.

As technology improves, the need for fresh and safe food has also increased. We need to understand these challenges better and bring practical solutions to solve these issues.

Challenges Faced By The Food Supply Chain:

Here we will see some significant challenges that the food supply chain faces in 2022.  

Food Shipping Traceability:

Not that long ago, shipping traceability was a luxury that only a few customers would pay for. Those days are behind us. Today, food shippers and receiving customers demand traceability. This traceability is needed to comply with food safety standards and provide peace of mind for the consumers.

Multiple consumer agencies have noticed that the public has become increasingly aware of the dangers of food contamination.   

According to OHSA and food safety experts, food-borne illnesses originate and spread within a supply chain. So, it is crucial for suppliers and retailers to document every little detail. They need to report all the who’s, what’s, where’s, and when’s of each step of the food supply chain. All this information is needed for consumers and to protect their brand.

Communication Problems Within Food Supply Chain Partners:

While technology has improved communication, there is still a gap within the food supply chain. There are multiple stakeholders involved in food logistics. Things can fall through the cracks with so many transportation and communication components. There are several times when individuals within the supply chain do not interact. This can cause problems like moving delays, bacterial growth increases, food poisoning, and spoilage.

These communication gaps are potentially hazardous for the food supply chain. To reduce this issue, improvements in the communication process are needed.

Food Fraud in Food Shipping Industry:

When we talk about food fraud, most of us think about the phrase – organized crime. Many organizations in the food industry produce counterfeit or illegal products. Sometimes they also use food shipping to move unlawful substances. This is another great challenge for the shipping industry.  

The FDA has scaled up its Food Defense division to overcome this issue. This division specializes in investigating food-related frauds. As the potential of food fraud increases, regulation needs to be expanded. Similarly, food suppliers have to face more hurdles with the supply chain.

Lack of Honesty and Transparency:

Transparency in food logistics is not considered a strength. It has to be stopped whenever withholding facts or covering up leads to food spoilage and the potential for death.

The main actors in a food supply chain have repeatedly activated communication logs. These logs cover critical components of food safety. Information like cargo container locations, internal temperature, humidity considerations, and food inspection checkpoints are included in records.

Growing Regulations in Food Shipping Industry:

We always think that regulations are there to protect people. However, sometimes the opposite is true in some cases. A recent ELD Mandate in the U.S. requires carriers to log in their service hours during the day. While most companies comply with federal standards, others significantly reduce their service hours. There are instances where the ELD mandate has closed down carriers due to increased costs of purchasing, installing, and implementing ELDs.

We have also observed an increase in shipping rates after the ELD mandate. The current struggles related to ELD will pass with time. Still, growing regulations will continue to impact the food supply chain negatively.

Conclusion:

The challenges discussed above seem intimidating, but they present opportunities to resolve the underlying issues. All stakeholders within the food supply chain need to sit together and resolve these challenges through open communication and transparency.

Also, read 5 Questions To Ask When Choosing A Freight Shipping Company