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Food waste and losses in primary production: Qualitative insights from horticulture

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  • Beausang, Ciara
  • Hall, Clare
  • Toma, Luiza

Abstract

Food waste is recognised as being one of the major global challenges in achieving a sustainable future. Currently very little is known about how much food is wasted in primary production. This study uses a qualitative approach to examine farmers’ views on food waste and losses occurring on soft fruit and vegetable farms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 fruit and vegetable farmers in Scotland to gain information about 1) farmers’ attitudes to food waste, 2) how much food waste is generated on farms, 3) what are the causes of food waste, 4) what happens to the waste, and 5) what strategies can be used to reduce food waste on farms and add value to how waste is used. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse data from the interviews. This study revealed that farmers do not consider food waste to be an issue of primary concern and perceive food waste to be an intrinsic part of farming. Farmers do not routinely record waste and have difficulty in providing estimates for food waste and losses. Many of the causes of food waste identified in this study are due to factors further along the food supply chain, including cosmetic specifications by retailers, and a lack of processing facilities. Farmers expressed an interest in adding value to how food waste is used on their farms, but identified several barriers in relation to using food waste for energy production through anaerobic digestion.

Suggested Citation

  • Beausang, Ciara & Hall, Clare & Toma, Luiza, 2017. "Food waste and losses in primary production: Qualitative insights from horticulture," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 177-185.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:126:y:2017:i:c:p:177-185
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.07.042
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Graham-Rowe, Ella & Jessop, Donna C. & Sparks, Paul, 2014. "Identifying motivations and barriers to minimising household food waste," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 15-23.
    2. Sirieix, Lucie & Lála, Jan & Kocmanová, Klára, 2017. "Understanding the antecedents of consumers' attitudes towards doggy bags in restaurants: Concern about food waste, culture, norms and emotions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 153-158.
    3. Kantor, Linda Scott & Lipton, Kathryn & Manchester, Alden & Oliveira, Victor, 1997. "Estimating and Addressing America's Food Losses," Food Review/ National Food Review, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, vol. 20(1), pages 1-11.
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    5. Christine Göbel & Nina Langen & Antonia Blumenthal & Petra Teitscheid & Guido Ritter, 2015. "Cutting Food Waste through Cooperation along the Food Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-17, January.
    6. Ola Eriksson, 2017. "Energy and Waste Management," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-7, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Trebbin, Anika & Herzberg, Ronja & Schneider, Felicitas, 2023. "Lebensmittelverluste bei Obst und Gemüse – die Rolle von Qualitätsanforderungen und Unternehmenspraktiken des Lebensmitteleinzelhandels," Thünen Working Paper 334338, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (vTI), Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
    2. Martine J. Barons & Lael E. Walsh & Edward E. Salakpi & Linda Nichols, 2024. "A Decision Support System for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Loss Reduction under Uncertain Agricultural Policy Frameworks," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-21, March.
    3. Sourabh Jain & Jury Gualandris, 2023. "When does upcycling mitigate climate change? The case of wet spent grains and fruit and vegetable residues in Canada," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(2), pages 522-534, April.
    4. Bianca Cezara Archip & Ioan Banatean-Dunea & Dacinia Crina Petrescu & Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag, 2023. "Determinants of Food Waste in Cluj-Napoca (Romania): A Community-Based System Dynamics Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-22, January.
    5. Shahin Ghaziani & Gholamreza Dehbozorgi & Mohammad Bakhshoodeh & Reiner Doluschitz, 2023. "Unraveling On-Farm Wheat Loss in Fars Province, Iran: A Qualitative Analysis and Exploration of Potential Solutions with Emphasis on Agricultural Cooperatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-24, August.
    6. Shelley Fox & Owen Kenny & Francesco Noci & Maria Dermiki, 2023. "A Pilot Study on Industry Stakeholders’ Views towards Revalorization of Surplus Material from the Fruit and Vegetable Sector as a Way to Reduce Food Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-19, November.
    7. Evert Los & Cornelis Gardebroek & Ruud Huirne, 2021. "Explaining output price heterogeneity in Dutch horticulture," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(4), pages 891-914, October.
    8. Trebbin, Anika & Herzberg, Ronja & Schneider, Felicitas, 2023. "Lebensmittelverluste bei Obst und Gemüse - Die Rolle von Qualitätsanforderungen und Unternehmenspraktiken des Lebensmitteleinzelhandels," Thünen Working Papers 202, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.

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