Supply Chain Management and Marketing : Challenges for Sri Lanka
View(s):Currently, Sri Lanka is navigating through a transitional period marked by numerous challenges. The country needs to develop and implement strategies for long-term growth and stability. In this scenario, converting these challenges into opportunities is critical. One of the key areas where this transformation can occur is through the effective application of Supply Chain Management and Marketing principles.
It can be seen that the concepts of marketing and supply chain management were elaborated in different forums separately. Nevertheless, these two concepts look like twin brothers. According to Linton (2019) Marketing delivers an essential balance in supply chain management which supports businesses and their associates to become more focused on customers rather than on the production process. “By improving communications, support and collaboration, marketing helps increase supply chain efficiency and create a single extended enterprise with a strong competitive edge(“Linton,2019) .Hence it can be observed the synergistic effect of Marketing and Supply chain. It is important to see how supply chain and marketing play an important role in
Sri Lankan context in the case of distribution of food and vegetables.
We can see many experts talking about the problem of farmers who cannot sell their products and distribute vegetables and fruits to consumer in different areas. We can remember, one report said that More than 900,000 kilos of vegetables were purchased by the government. In Some seasons you can see excess vegetables like pumpkin which farmers are finding it difficult to sell their products. We have witnessed the same problem for decades. In one way you need to argue that we should have proper value additions as well as marketing strategies for the products. Anyway, there is a problem with having an updated food balance sheet for Sri Lanka. And also, it is important to note that “ 550,000 metric tons of vegetables and fruits were being wasted a year due to the post-harvest damage and its loss to the nation amounted to over Rs. 67 billion(Daily Mirror,28th August 2019)”.Anyway, It can be proposed to have an integrated plan of Supply chain and Marketing. We can observe that the factors mentioned above such as food waste, problems in transport etc being discussed in completely different forums, But both can be considered as the flip side of the same coin. People in the country should be educated on the nutritional value of vegetables, fruits, and all food items which are produced in Sri Lanka. Then you can expect a greater demand aligned with the “be Sri Lankan buy Sri Lankan “ tag line(which has been already established in Sri Lanka). Sri Lanka imports some products which affect the balance of payment of the country with no real nutritional value. This you can compare with some substitutes produced in our home soil.
There is a need for experts in the country to,
1. Educate people on the nutritional value of vegetables, fruits, and all food items which is produced in Sri Lanka and see possibilities to grow some import substitutes in the country with proper Integrated Marketing Communication activities (IMC)-(this is all about awareness and Marketing)
2. To have better supply chain management related to food in Sri Lanka(especially vegetables and fruits)
And also you need to have a proper association between all factors with a newly established institution.(refer to below for a diagram)
Source: Abeysekera,2020
Conclusion
There should be a better alignment between the demand and the supply chain. This alignment can be achieved through strategic Marketing and awareness initiatives. To facilitate this, we propose the establishment of an institution dedicated to managing this orientation. This institution should include a diverse range of stakeholders and experts from various fields including food, supply chain, nutrition, strategy, marketing, finance, and economy, representing both the public and private sectors. By creating such an institution, we can ensure a coordinated effort to align the food supply chain with the actual needs and preferences of the population. This initiative will help address issues related to food security, nutrition, and economic efficiency. Furthermore, it will promote sustainable practices that benefit the entire food ecosystem.
Professor Nalin Abeysekera
(The writer is a Professor in Management Studies at the Open University of Sri Lanka. You can reach him on nalinabeysekera@gmail.com.)
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