1、1Effective Construction of the Third-party Logistics System of Agricultural ProductsAbstract. Along with the growth of e-commerce, the third party logistics has attained a rapid development. A great progress has been made to the logistics of agricultural products. However, on the whole, there exist
2、problems of high cost, large consumption, low efficiency, and poor income in the logistics of agricultural products. In this paper, the current situation of the logistics of agricultural products in China is analyzed, and also methods and suggestions for effectively constructing the third-party logi
3、stics of agricultural products are proposed. Key words: Agricultural Products; the Third-party Logistics; Logistics System As the living standard of people is improved continuously, the consumption structure of agricultural products has been changed dramatically, and higher importance is attached by
4、 people to the diversity, nutritional value, and food security of agricultural products. At the same time, with the growth of e-commerce, the third party logistics has attained a rapid 2development. The application of the third-party logistics in the logistics of agricultural products plays a great
5、role in promoting the development of the modern agriculture in China. For this reason, the characteristics of the logistics of agricultural products in China are analyzed first in this paper. Starting from these characteristics, an idea is proposed, namely the effective construction of the third-par
6、ty logistics system of agricultural products is an inevitable result of social labor division of logistics enterprises. It, as intermediate between supplier and demander of products, makes enterprise cost reduced, and also drives the circulation of products. 1 Current Situation of the Logistics of A
7、gricultural Products in China A great progress has been made to the logistics of agricultural products. However, on the whole, there exist problems of high cost, large consumption, low efficiency, and poor income in the logistics of agricultural products. 1.1 Low Circulation Efficiency of Products I
8、s Caused by Multiple Logistics Links of Agricultural Products In the process of agricultural products from producer to consumer, multiple links (producerbuying and selling 3merchantswholesale market at originwholesale market at sale marketfarmers marketconsumers) are undergone, making the circulatio
9、n cost of agricultural products higher, circulation efficiency lower, and loses of agricultural products larger. 1.2 Obstacles of Circulation Are Caused By the Weaknesses of the Wholesale Market at Origin At the present stage, the characteristics of the wholesale market at origin of agricultural pro
10、ducts in China can be concluded as follows: absence of unified planning; unreasonable layout; too simple business facilities; backward means of exchange; low organizational level of market subjects; blindness of business management. 1.3 Unsmooth Information Channels for the Circulation of Agricultur
11、al Products The educational backgrounds of most wholesalers and suppliers are not so good, and therefore they have a weak awareness on information. As a result, the information acquisition in the circulation of agricultural products is not timely, the communication between two sides is insufficient,
12、 and subsequently the sales of agricultural products are indirectly affected. 1.4 Low Added-value of Products 4In the sales process of agricultural products, the supervision and inspection on the quality of products are not effectively ensured, and also the due improvement to the packaging, storage
13、and processing of products is not made. 2 Effective Construction of the Third-Party Logistics System The third-party logistics enterprises had entered China in the 1990s. Along with the professionalization and increasing personalized demands of enterprises on logistics services, the third-party logi
14、stics has attained a rapid development, and also has changed into an emerging sunrise industry in China. 2.1 Advantages of the Construction of the Third-party Logistics System of Agricultural Products 2.1.1 Ensuring Circulation Channels Smooth, Efficient, and Quick With the construction of the third
15、-party logistics system, the distance between production and marketing can be shortened. Also, with the application of information low, the timeliness and convenience of supplies can be effectively ensured, and also logistics enterprises can be promoted to timely adjust distribution plans and meet t
16、he demands of the operators and consumers of agricultural products. 52.1.2 Effectively Reducing Production Cost, and Increasing Economic Benefits In the third-party logistics system, a professional logistics operation model has been applied and the scale is also very large generally, and therefore p
17、owerful coordination and negotiation abilities are available for enterprise. Thus, the effective reduction of logistics cost and the increase of market competitiveness can be realized, and simultaneously the cost from agricultural products to consumers can be reduced and scale effect can be attained
18、. 2.1.3 Effectively Improving the Quality of Agricultural Products through Packing, Transportation, and Storage In the distribution process, it is necessary for the third-party logistics to further classify and pack most agricultural products, not only making the quality of agricultural products not
19、 to be reduced in the circulation process and also playing a role in improving the quality of agricultural products by relying on excellent storage, packaging, and transport facilities. 2.1.4 Improving the Added-value of Agricultural Products through High-quality and Efficient Services Because the t
20、hird-party logistics is oriented at service, 6the added-value of agricultural products can be improved through high-quality and efficient services. The third-party logistics center, which uses electronic network as the platform, accurately gets an understanding of the needs of suppliers and demander
21、s, and also makes an adjustment to distribution scheme according to acquired information, promoting the seasonal and regional problems to be solved very efficiently. Also, the added-value of agricultural products is improved when high-quality services are provided. 2.2 Several Suggestions for the Co
22、nstruction of the Third-party Logistics System The construction of the third party logistics system of agricultural products is the most important for the traditional model changing from the modern model. It requires governments and logistics enterprises to give full play to their respective functio
23、ns and effects, and thus the quality of agricultural logistics service can be ensured. 2.1.1 Relevant Law, Policy and Financial Support Can Be Provided By Governments Government plays a crucial role in the development process of the third-party logistics system, and can exert a significant influence
24、 on the development of the third-party 7logistics of agricultural products. Relevant laws about logistics can be made by government for encouraging the development of the third-party logistics of agricultural products. Also, all kinds of preferential policies such as the use of land and tax reductio
25、n/exemption for encouraging and supporting the development of the third-party logistics of agricultural products can be made, as shown in figure 2. Also, it is necessary to provides capital supports, including direct government investment, government preferential loans, etc. In addition, it is neces
26、sary for government to encourage local farms to carry out an integration construction of production, processing and sales, thus reducing the logistics links of local places and making production and processing integrated. In the course of processing, a strict quality standard system can be establish
27、ed; the processing quality of agricultural products can be improved; the local economic development of fast logistics technology can be utilized. As a result, a win-win result can be achieved between government and agricultural products merchants. 2.1.2 E-commerce is Greatly Developed by Enterprises
28、 As is known to all, the relationship between e-commerce and the third-party logistics is mutually complemented, mutually 8dependent, and mutually promoted. The logistics without the supports of e-commerce will lose vitality and competitiveness. E-commerce, because of its convenient, quick, and effi
29、cient characteristics, has been widely popularized and applied in all kinds of industries. For this reason, an available developed e-commerce system is the prerequisite for the smooth development of the third-party logistics. At present, e-commerce system has involved network technology, bar code te
30、chnology, intelligent navigation technology, intelligent transportation technology, etc. With the development of web pages or trading platforms for the agricultural products of local farms and the utilization of e-commerce system, the traditional marketing of agricultural products is spared, the mar
31、keting cost is saved, and also the sales of agricultural products is promoted in combination of Internet technology. Moreover, in the process of selling products with electronic network, the village and agricultural infrastructures are developed with a subtle influence, and subsequently the developm
32、ent of the third-party logistics of agricultural products is promoted. 2.1.3 Freshness Management of Agricultural Products Is Strengthened By Logistics Enterprises 9Keeping fresh is the primary requirement of consumers on agricultural products. In the process of logistics, keeping the freshness and
33、safety of agricultural products is still a rather troublesome task. Usually, a computer system is used by logistics enterprises to keep the freshness of agricultural products, and real-time computer control technology is utilized for monitoring the transportation of agricultural products in real tim
34、e and controlling the quality of agricultural products in the process of logistics. Also, the goods in storage should be put in operation strictly in accordance with the principle of “first-in and first-out“, the date of goods should be inspected by working personnel every day, and relevant departme
35、nts should be informed of handling once unqualified products are found. With the purpose of ensuring no goods exceeding the sales time limit, a warning function can be provided for the goods close to the sales time limit, and thus manual and intelligent ways can be used at the same time. In addition
36、, it is necessary to set up a refrigeration supply chain for putting easy-to-rotten and fresh agricultural products in an appropriate low-temperature environment in all links such as purchase, processing, storage, transportation, sales and consumption, and also speed up the circulation of 10logistic
37、s for promoting these agricultural products to reach the destinations in the possible shortest time. As a result, quality assurance, loss reduction, and prevention of deterioration and pollution can be realized for of agricultural products. 3 Conclusion In this paper, the problems in the logistics o
38、f the agricultural products of China are analyzed; suggestions for the construction of the third-party logistics system of agricultural products are proposed according these problems. Also, the advantages of the third-party logistics in the logistics of agricultural products are introduced, and fina
39、lly the several suggestions for effectively constructing the third-party logistics system are proposed. The study on the construction of the third-party logistics system of agricultural products in this paper is only a preliminary exploration, and therefore studies of multiple levels are still neces
40、sarily made in the future, so as to better provide the logistics services of agricultural logistics, which plays a huge role in the development of Chinas g modern agriculture. Subject of This Paper: “Construction and Implementation of the Third-party Logistics Information Service Platform of Agricultural Products“, Science and Technology Research and
