Transforming China's Mango Supply Chain Structure: A Path to Integration and Efficiency: A Conceptual Perspective

Mango production in China has increased in the past few years. However, the industry faced several issues, including high losses, quality variation after harvesting, and an inefficient value chain. These issues suggest a lack of detailed knowledge about the structural dynamics of the mango supply chain, which could hold the key to mitigating these problems. This paper, therefore, aims to ascertain the structure of China's mango supply chain, exploring how its configuration contributes to operational challenges and seeking avenues for improvement. Methodologically, this study employs conceptual analysis and theoretical framework development based on industry observations, market structure analysis, and channel evaluation techniques. An analysis of the previous literature shows that the structure of China's mango supply chain consists of four main distribution channels, namely 1) traditional wholesale, 2) modern channel integration, 3) e-commerce, and 4) live streaming. The analysis also found severe flaws in the structural configuration of each channel. These flaws include too many intermediaries in traditional wholesale, exclusion of suppliers from modern retail, obstacles to e-commerce based on digital usage, and infrastructural constraints in live streaming. Cross-cutting issues that affect all channels include cold chain integration, communication of information systems, and quality standards. Therefore, this paper suggests a few targeted optimization strategies to address these pervasive issues, such as forming agricultural industry clusters, constructing an integrated cold chain system, modernizing wholesale markets, using advanced distribution channels, and cross-channel integration. These practical solutions aim to transform the fragmented supply chain into a cohesive system, enhancing efficiency, improving quality, and ensuring equitable value distribution.