Value Processed Soy Chain Assignment Food - TOFU

Amruta Patil 11020242002

MBA AB SIIB

Processed Soy food Tofu 1. Input supply

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A. Describe all of the inputs that are needed for agricultural production of the raw material for your product. Inputs required for agricultural production of Soybean are as follows 1. Seeds (Major varieties used in India)

2. Lime :- Soybean is sensitive to soil pH and requires pH of about 5.5 to 7. Adding lime maintains the soil ph to desired level. Applying less lime more frequently will be more beneficial for the crop. (Source: Agriculture Dept, Nebraska State, USA, Publications) 3. Fertilizers :- The recommended doses of fertilizers for Soy crop per one acre, under normal condition are a. 12 Kgs of Nitrogen (N), b. 24 Kgs of Phosphorous (P), c. 16Kgs of Potash (K) and

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d. 8Kgs of Sulphur However, the dose and use of fertilizers should ideally be finalised based on the recommendations from the soil test report. 4. Pesticides :- The commonly observed pests and deceases of the Soy crop are Sucking Pests, Shoot borer, Tobacco caterpillar, Leaf spot, Mosaic disease etc. The recommended pesticides for these pests & deseases are Dimethotate, Quinalphos, Clorophyriphos, Endosalphan, Dithane M-45, Carbendazim etc. The cost of these pesticides for one acre is approximately Rs. 200, if considering spray for one time. 5. Weedicides :- Presently there are two types of practices in place for removing weeds in Soy crop. Manual weeding with labour, it will cost @ Rs.500/- per acre. Weedcides spraying, will cost @ Rs.400/- per acre. The particulars of the Weedicides used in Soy Crop are as follows:

6. Labour :- Soy crop is not labour intensive crop. It is cultivated in Kharif season in India. Labour requirement is more during weeding, harvesting periods only. Rest of the activities during the Soy cultivation, which require labour are taken up mostly by the family members internally. Cost of the inputs The major inputs for Soy crop, as already mentioned above, are seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and Weedicides. The approximate cost of these inputs for cultivation of Soy in one acre is given in the table:

Processed Soy food Tofu B. Where does the farmer obtain these inputs?

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1) Seeds :- The Soy seeds are purchased from various sources by the farmers. The details of the sources are as follows: 1. Agriculture department: Seed material is available with the authorized and certified seed suppliers. The agriculture departments of various states normally distribute seeds with an extended subsidy of about 33.3%, at which a bag of 30 kg seed costs around Rs.500. This otherwise costs approximately Rs. 750 which would suffice as input seed materials for one acre land. Most of the farmers buy from this source. 2. Own seed by the farmers: Farmers who have cultivated the foundation seed during the preceding year would store the seed material for their succeeding years input utility. However, this practice got degenerated as the government is promoting new and hybrid varieties of seed materials for the purpose. 3. Seed centres: Seed material is supposed to be made available to the farmers through Government run Seed Centres 4. Indore Market: Good quality seed material is made available in the Indore market, where it is said to be the best place best quality of Soybean seeds. Quality conscious farmers do purchase from the Indore market. Some of the good variety and hybrid varieties could be procured from this place. 2) Fertilizers :- Availability of fertilizers on credit basis is one of the major reasons for taking the fertilizers from the private traders. Most of the private agencies are offering integrated supply of material inputs like seeds, Fertilizers, Pesticides and Weedicides though credit to the farmers. Thus it becomes a one stop shop for all kinds of inputs required to the farmer. However, in few cases, community based organisations like Village organisations, Mandal Samakhyas, farmers cooperatives etc., are getting the fertilizers directly from the fertilizer companies. This is facilitated through few development schemes and organizations like Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) and Sanga Mitra Society (SMS), Basix etc.

Processed Soy food Tofu 2. Agricultural production

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A. Describe the production process for the main agricultural raw material that goes into your product. Process In Soy crop cultivation the preproduction process include land preparation and ploughing. 1. Land preparation/leveling Leveling or preparing the land is the first step in the cultivation of crops. In case of Soy crop also, land leveling is carried out by removing the earth in the up level area and placing in the low level area. Most of the farmers do the land leveling activity on their own. However some farmers engage labour for land leveling purpose. Depending on the land type and uneven land area, the labour engaged for land leveling may vary from 2 man days to 4 man days. 2. Ploughing Two types of Ploughing practices are prevalent in India viz., with bullocks and with tractor. But majority of the farmers are using bullocks for the ploughing purpose. At present only less then 10% of the total farmers are using tractors for the ploughing. However, of late the usage of tractors for Ploughing purpose is gaining momentum gradually. On an average, depending on the soil condition, ploughing will be taken place two times. Majority of the farmers are going for deep ploughing. The cost of the ploughing, if the tractor is used, is in the range of Rs. 300 400 per acre depending on the type of the soil. 3. Sowing There are two prevalent methods of sowing the Soy seeds. The first one is the traditional labour intensive method of hiring the labourers for sowing and the second is the usage of a machine for sowing the seeds. The ideal duration for sowing is June to July months in Kharif season and October month in case of Rabi season. For sowing purpose some farmers are using 6 pipes implement. In three pipes seeds are sown and the remaining three pipes are used for fertilizer application. To get good yield the sowing should be done in such a way that there are 40 plants per square metre and with 3cm deep. In case of black soils the appropriate distance is 45 X 5 cm. For sowing one acre of the field three women labourers (@ Rs. 30 per women as wage labour) and a pair of bullocks with operator(@ Rs 100-120 per day) are required. The total cost of sowing 1 acre of land comes to around Rs. 200 Rs. 250.

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4. Seed cum Fertilizer drill: One of the best practices that is being followed by the farmers is includes intercropping. The different combinations of Soy as intercrop are Soy with Redgram; Soy with maize and Redgram; and Soy with cotton. Out of these combinations, Soy with Redgram is the most preferred one. The preferred ratio combination in case of Redgram is 2:4. The reasons for taking up mono and intercropping of Soy is given below:

5. Fertilizers application Chemical fertilizers are applied during the sowing and again after 30 days of sowing. One acre of Soy farm would need one bag of DAP of 100 kg costing around Rs. 485. Along with the Soy seed two powdered packets,one black in colour and the other white in colour is supplied within the same bag. These two powders are mixed gently with the DAP and the seeds just about 15 minutes of their sowing. Some farmers also add Gur water which is boiled and cooled earlier, along with the other ingredients mentioned in the mix above for a better mixing of DAP. The second round of fertilizers like urea or urea and potash together application is done after the first weeding.. One acre of crop requires one bag of urea alone or half bag of urea and half bag of potash. The combination is decided by the farmer according to the nature of the soil. Urea costs around Rs. 150 and Potash would cost around Rs.335. Rhizobium culture of the seeds should be done prior to the sowing. This process will enable the plants to have more supply of nitrogen so that external nitrogen supply can be minimised. For fertilizers application 2 man days and costs Rs120.

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6. Pesticides spray Soybean being luxuriant crop, having lush green, soft, succulent and nutritive dense foliage is attacked by over 273 types of insects. The important insects and pests, specific to Soy are given as follows: a. Stem Fly This is major pest of soybean in all the soybean growing areas in India as well as in world. Symptoms of damage During Kharif it is found to infest 95-100% plants and during Rabi upto 60%. It remains active from sowing (June-July) to harvesting (October). The adult flies are shining black and about 2 mm long. The damaging stage is maggot which is white in colour and remains inside the stem. Female adults lay eggs inside the cotyledon or leaves. After hatching from eggs, the maggots mine through the leaf and reach the petiole. From petiole, they enter the branch and stem, and feed on xylum and phloem. This results in nonavailability of food material to the plants. When the plants are attacked in early stage by this insect, the upper half ofthe leaves shows sign of gradual withering. When grown up plants areattacked, they do not show any external symptoms of damage except the exitholes made by the maggots for emergence of adults. Infestation due to stem flies reduces the grain yield by 16 to 20%. With proper control measures atleast 12% yield loss can be avoided. Control Measures Soil application of Phorate 10 G @ 10 kg/ha or Carbofuran 3 G @ 30 kg/ha at the time of sowing will prevent early infestation by stem fly.One or two sprays of 0.07% Endosulfan 35 EC or 0.03% Dimethoate 30 EC or 0.05% Quinalphos 25 EC can stop the damage. b. Thrips They attack soybean from August to October during Kharif and from February to April during Rabi. Long, hot and humid atmosphere during Kharif season is found to be more congenial for their multiplication. Adults are minute, yellowish brown in colour with feeble wings. Nymphs are pale yellow. Nature of Damage Both nymphs and adults scratch the leaf surface and lick the sap coming out of the scratches. This results into brownish spots the leaves. Control measures Spray 0.01% Endosulphan 35 EC or 0.05 Quinalphos 25 EC or 0.01% Malathion. Green Jassids This is a minor pest of soybean found from August to October in Kharif and from February to April in Rabi. Nature of Damage Adults and nymphs are light green in colour and suck the sap from leaves and stem. Infested leaves start yellowing from the margins. In case of severe attack, all the leaves become yellow and eventually fall off the plants. Control measures Spray 0.01% Endosulphan 35 EC or 0.05 Quinalphos 25 EC or 0.01% Malathion

Processed Soy food Tofu c. Green Semilooper

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During Kharif season, it damages the crop from August to September and during Rabi from March to May. Nature of Damage Caterpillars first feed on leaves by scratching the green matter. Later on, grown up larvae consume entire leaf leaving behind only the midribs and veins. When not controlled, the infestation can result into 30% undeveloped pods and about 50% yield loss. In case of heavy attack, the caterpillars are also found to feed on flowers and pods. The caterpillars of this insect are found to suffer from a fungal disease. Control measures Spray 0.01% Endosulphan 35 EC or 0.05 quinalphos 25 EC or 0.01% Malathion. d. Tobacco caterpillar This is a serious and regular pest in M.P. It damages Soybean from mid August to October in Kharif and from November to Marchin Rabi. Adults are active during night time and remain on the lower leaf surface or on theground during day time. Forewings are brown in colour with white markings on the centre, and hind wings are membranous white with brown border. Full grown caterpillars are dull green coloured with longitudinal yellow and green lines on the dorsal side and black dots on the first to last abdominal segments. Nature of Damages Newly hatched larvae have characteristic gregarious feeding behaviour. They feed only on the chlorophyll leaving behind the white thin papery leaves. Later instars gradually disperse and feed on the leaves eating away the entire portion. After eating the leaves, they also start feeding on young pods, consequently damaging 30-50% of the pods. It has been observed that soybean crop with higher dose of nitrogen are more prone to attack. Control measures Spray 0.01% endosulphan 35 EC or 0.05 quinalphos 25 EC or 0.01%Malathion. e. Leaf miner Basically this is regular and serious pest of groundnut in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka, but of late it has started infesting soybean also specially in M.P and Maharashtra. Adults are small, dark brown moths with two white specks near the costal margin of the forewings. Outer edge of hind wings bear closely placed hairs. Larvae are small, green in colour and with black head. It remains active from June to October during Kharif and from November to April during Rabi, but maximum damage is observed during third week of September. Nature of Damages Newly hatched larvae mine into the leaves and feed between the epidermises. One leaf may contain 2-4 mines, Later on the larvae stick the adjacent leaves together and feed by remaining inside the folded cupshaped structure. One account of heavy infestation,

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plant growth retards, pod number reduces and grains become shriveled, consequently yield losses up to 50% may occur. Control measures Spray 0.01% endosulphan 35 EC or 0.05 quinalphos 25 EC or 0.01%Malathion. Seeds should be cleaned with thiram or Carbandizam before sowing. This will minimise the possibility of pest attacks. Hand and power sprays are used for pesticide application. If the spray is done for two times, the cost would be Rs. 120. 7. Weeding Some farmers are using chemical weedicides and majority farmers are using labour for weeding purpose. The germination of the seeds starts taking place after 3-4 days of sowing. At about 10-15 days after sowing, weeding is done to reduce the effect of usage of nutrients in the soil by the weeds instead of the Soy crop. The second round of weeding is done after 30 days during the flowering stage. After weeding, if required one round of weedicide is sprayed. A power sprayer is used for spraying. The cost of one litre of petrol, rent of the power sprayer (if rented) and the cost of three male labourers is to be incurred by the farmer which would cumulatively turn out to be Rs. 200 250. After 30 days generally the crops are allowed to grow and farmer need not enter the field till the harvest time. Some farmers do weeding subsequently if they feel necessary but largely no more weeding is done. If the weeding is done through labour, the cost will be Rs. 500 per acre. 8. Harvesting The harvesting is done after the crop is ready for harvest. Soybeans are considered dry mature when seed moisture reduces to less than 14% in the field. The Soy crop should be harvested when the leaves turn from green colour to yellow and the leaves start falling. Another indication is Soy seeds also start changing from green to ash colour. This is very important because the delay in harvesting not only results in seeds split but also results in loss of oil content. This may have impact on the regeneration capacity of the seeds. The crop should be kept open in the field for 2 3 days for sun dry purpose. Harvesting one acre of Soybean and making a pile of such harvest it would cost around Rs. 400 500. 9. Threshing After harvesting thresher machines are used for threshing the harvested crop. The threshing of the crop should take place as soon as the moisture content of seeds reaches 13-14 %. Low speed (200-300 rpm) thresher should be used for threshing purpose. Threshers from Punjab also come and are available for rent during the threshing season. For every one quintal of Soybean Rs. 100 is charged as the threshing charge.

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B. How long does it take to produce this raw material? How do you know when it is ready to be harvested? How is it harvested? Harvesting The harvesting is done after the crop is ready for harvest. Soybeans are considered dry mature when seed moisture reduces to less than 14% in the field. The Soy crop should be harvested when the leaves turn from green colour to yellow and the leaves start falling. Another indication is Soy seeds also start changing from green to ash colour. This is very important because the delay in harvesting not only results in seeds split but also results in loss of oil content. This may have impact on the regeneration capacity of the seeds. The crop should be kept open in the field for 2 3 days for sun dry purpose. Harvesting one acre of Soybean and making a pile of such harvest it would cost around Rs. 400 500.

C. What production risks could impact agricultural production of your raw material? Constraints at the preproduction stage The constraints of the different stakeholders/ player involved in the Soy subsector are given below: Farmers level 1. Scarcity of the required seed material and its supply 2. High interest rates on credit taken from the traders for procuring the input 3. Non availability of desired quantum of fertilizers and seed on time 4. Presence of spurious inputs in the market 5. Private lenders are charging high interest rates 7. Bank loans are not accessible to all farmers 8. Time Consuming Process for Procurement of the raw material 9. Non availability of High yielding varieties 10. Subsidy of Agriculture Department is limited to only seeds Traders level 1. Timely nonavailability of seeds, fertilizers 2. Quality of fertilizers, seeds and Weedicides procured from the market is not good 3. No linkages with the farmers for procuring good quality seeds 4. Problem of weighing 5. Proper drying not taking place by the farmers.

Processed Soy food Tofu 6. Bank loans are not accessible 7. Time Consuming Process for Procurement of the raw material 8. Poor quality of raw materials 9. Lack of sufficient suppliers 10. Existing suppliers have limited outreach

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Constraints at the production stage There are several constraints, which are being faced by various stakeholders related to the product and technology development at the farmer level more related to productivity enhancement. At the traders level more related to product diversification and at solvent level more related to the quality control and assurance, skilled human resource. The following table provides the list of constraints. Farmer level 1. In sufficient tools/machinery ploughs, seed drillers, harvesters etc. 2. Lack of technical skills and production techniques for higher productivity and to meet the quality production norms 3. Lack of knowledge and skills on Integrated farming practices pest, fertilizer and other 4. Lack of knowledge on Crop Quality management 5. More labor required if traditional cultivation methods are followed 6. Requires more time for the same work when done with the skilled equipment tilling, sowing etc 7. Grain loss is more when high capacity harvesters are used 8. Skilled drivers are not available 9. Due to weed attack labor requirement is more, availability is less and the cost of cultivation is increasing. 10. Soybean specific fertilizers are not available

Processed Soy food Tofu 3. First level handling

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A. Describe the first place the raw material goes after it leaves the farm. Storage After threshing is completed seeds and husk should be separated. Seeds should be dried under shade for 3 to 4 days and should be stored in the cool place with proper ventilation and air. The moisture content of the seeds should be approximately 13% before it is stored. However, Majority of the farmers are selling the Soybean immediately after harvesting. Storage practices/methods Farmers are following different practices for storing the Soy after threshing. Important storage practices adopted by the farmers are 1) Houses: The majority of the farmers are using their own houses for storing the Soy. At present there are two practices followed by the farmers for storing the Soy. a) Storing in the bags: This is the usual practice by most of the farmers. Soy is stored in the bags and kept in the room. b) Piling: In this method, Soy is stored in the room directly (with out any bags). But this practice is not preferred for long duration storage as it is susceptible to fungus and rats 2) Solvents: All of the Soy solvent extractors are offering farmers to procure on Anamat basis. In anamat, farmers are offered to store their produce at godowns owned by the solvents. Farmer is free to decide when to sell his stock but the stock should be sold to same solvent only and will be paid as per the market rate prevailing on that particular date. Farmers will not be charged any thing extra for storing the Soy. Even there is no problem of weight loss because the Soy is weighed at the time of storage only. 5) Through Rythu Bandhu Scheme: Government has launched Rythu Bandhu scheme, which is aimed at the farmers who does not want to sell their produce immediately after harvest as the prices during harvesting period tends to be low,but are not able to do because of the financial commitments. Farmers can avail 75% of the total value of the produce as interest free loan upto 3 months. To avail this, farmers should store their produce in the authorized godown. But this scheme has lost popularity because of the price advantage gained out of storage is being offset by the storage loss at the godowns. This is same even in case of Soy and at present almost none of the farmers are utilising this scheme. To reuse as seeds for the next crop, seeds should be dried till the moisture content reaches 7-8% and should be stored in the cool dry place with proper air and ventilation after packing them into gunny bags. Care should be taken not toplace one up on another beyond 4 bags. Seeds should not be kept in the metal containers as it may affect the germination of the seeds.

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4.1.2 Access to storage practices Except Rythu Bandhu Scheme and Storage facility by the solvents, all other Practices like storing in houses, storing in the bags, piling etc., farmers bear themselves. 4.1.3 Costs associated with storage Storing in house do not require any additional cost, except that of availability of space in the house. But for storing in the bags, farmers should purchase gunny bags which cost them from Rs. 10 to 18 per bag, depending on the quality of the bags. There are no direct costs associated with accessing the storage facility offered by the solvents. But, if the distance between solvent plant and the location of the farmer is far, costs associated with transportation of the Soy is a major hindering factor to utilize this facility, in most of the cases. In case of Rythu Bandhu Scheme also, there are no direct associated costs. However, the time taken for enrolling into this scheme and huge losses during storage is the major hindering factors at the farmer level, to utilize this facility.

B. Do farmers have many choices about where to sell their product at this level? Explain. Marketing Well-developed and established market and market channels are critical for any activity, especially production based activity to prosper. But the market is created based on the demand from the end users. Hence efforts should be taken to assess the demand particulars and creating platform for linking all the actors like producers, users etc. These mechanisms will act as catalyst for expanding the outreach, develop and supply of the material as per the demand. Market Formation for Soybean The major centres for trade in Soybean are Adilabad, Echoda, Boath, Indervalley and Narnoor in Andhra Pradesh along with major cities of Eastern Maharashtra and also Madhya Pradesh (Esp Indore) Gradually, with the setting up of private solvent plants in the many district, the collection market has become competitive leading to an improvement in price scenario over the years. The trade channel has also developed with a number of intermediaries at different centres. However, the trade is plagued by the lack of marketing infrastructure including storage space and information. Soybean is still a commodity that is traded out of the district for final consumption. Development of consumer market for Soybean may be a major driver of change in the coming years, further driving the process of market formation. Market Access for Soybean The major markets for Soybean district are located at Adilabad, Gudihatnoor, Ichoda, Bahinsa, and Jainoor Mandals. In addition to these markets, farmers sell their produce in Dharmabad district of Maharashtra state,which is adjoining to Adilabad district. In Adilabad district, various players include brokers, traders, middlemen, solvents and institutional channel like GCC, MSs and Cooperatives.Farmers who are hailing in the vicinity of Adilabad are selling the Soy in the market yard. In case of big farmers whose

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yield is in the range of 60-70 quintals are selling either to the solvents or to the commission agents. Most of the farmers could not express any view on the market trend. Community based organisations, which are involved in the Soybean marketing, are having good awareness on the marketing aspects when compared to that of farmers. The major players in Soybean trade are solvent plants, middlemen, traders etc., who are operating at different levels for procurement of Soy produce. The details are as follows:

The overall structure of trade in soy is marked by oligopolistic competition but however cartels are formed to control prices. There is a consistent complain about weight and moisture measurement at every level. A few years back, there was action taken by the District Collector to check malpractices its the measurement system of the Solvent Plants but the attempt got diluted with her transfer.

Processed Soy food Tofu 4. Processing

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A. Describe the process that turns the agricultural raw material into the food product that people will eat. TOFU AND SOYMILK PRODUCTION Although the highest quality protein is found in animal products (meat, milk, eggs and fish), these products are expensive and often exceed the financial capacity of people in the developing world. The soya bean is high in nutritional value and provides a satisfactory alternative to animal products. It belongs to the grain legumes (also called pulses) and contains good quality protein, oil, vitamins (from the B-group) and minerals (iron and calcium). The production of tofu consists of two main steps: the preparation of soymilk; the coagulation of soymilk to form curds which are pressed to form tofu cakes. Soaking the soya beans Soya beans are soaked in cold water overnight or in very hot water for 2 to 3 hours, using 3 to 4 cups of water for each cup of dry soya beans. When the beans split open easily and are flat on the inside, they are ready to be drained. After the water is discarded, they should be washed in clean water. Grinding and cooking the soya beans A grinding rock, hand mill or meat grinder can be used to grind the beans into flour. When all the beans have been ground, boiling water (for each cup of dry soya beans about 8 cups of cooking water are used) is gradually mixed to the pulp and then it is left to simmer on the fire for 20 minutes. The soymilk is stirred regularly to avoid burning. Straining the soymilk The cooked milk is now sieved to extract the soymilk from the pulp using a filtering cloth. It is placed into a sieve which is positioned over a pot, lined with a filtering cloth. The cloth should be made from nylon or porous material - either a flour or sugar bag can be used. The sides of the cloth are held in each hand and moved up and down to roll the pulp back and forth so it forms a ball. The cloth is twisted tightly and held over a clean container while pressure is exerted onto it to extract the milk. Soymilk

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Soymilk is easily digestible and one pint of it can provide over one half of a young childs daily protein requirement. It can be sweetened with sugar or flavoured with chocolate, cinnamon or vanilla. Salt may also be added.

Coagulating soymilk Soymilk is heated over a fire and boiled for 3 to 5 minutes with continuous stirring. The pot is removed from the heat and a 4% acetic acid solution is added to the soymilk and stirred constantly until a good coagulum is formed. Vinegar usually contains 4% acetic acid solution and for every litre of soymilk, 2 tablespoons of vinegar are used. Straining the curds When large white curds can be seen floating in a clear yellow liquid, called whey, the soymilk is completely curded and ready to be filtered through a clean cloth into a suitable mould. The same method is used here as used in straining the soymilk. To form a block of tofu, press the cloth lined tofu with a weight for about 20 minutes which will reduce its water content by approximately 60%. This can be sliced and fried or eaten plain with salt. Alternatively, the loose curds can be scrambled in a pan with onion, tomatoes and salt and served on bread. Preservation of soymilk and tofu

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Soymilk can be stored in a bottle placed in a container of cold water. However, even in cool weather, soymilk can only be kept for a day using this method. Unseasoned block tofu should be stored under water to prevent drying out and can be kept for 2 days in moderate temperatures. When refrigeration is available, soymilk can be kept for up to 5 days and tofu for about 10 days. Soymilk that sours will form into curds by natural fermentation. Providing the curds are solid and not discoloured or slimy, they can be boiled for 30 to 40 minutes to kill the bacteria and made into cheese. Tofu that becomes slightly sour can also be eaten if boiled for 20 to 30 minutes.

B. What other ingredients become parts of the final consumer product? During processing, soymilk can be sweetened with sugar or flavoured with chocolate, cinnamon or vanilla. Salt may also be added. While coagulating soymilk, vinegar is added. Vinegar usually contains 4% acetic acid solution and for every litre of soymilk, 2 tablespoons of vinegar are used.

C. What type of packaging is used for this product? Discuss how packaging might vary by target market. Tofu comes in packaging that usually looks like these:

Photo Source: http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com

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D. Discuss the perishability of your product after it is processed. How does perishability impact the logistics and handling of your product at this level of your supply chain? Perishability of Soybean depends on the variety, purpose of production and the time of harvesting. Soybean used for extraction of oil and sold as commodity in commodity market can be stored over a longer time than soybean seeds used for further processing into food products. Some varieties of Soy are harvested green and processed into products with shelf life of maximum 5 days under refrigerated conditions. Soy grains can be stored without processing in frozen form for about 6 months. Thus, establishment of cold chain is the major impact on logistics and handling of Soy after the processing industry started developing.

E. Are there any dominant companies at the processing level of the supply chain? ADM, Prestige group etc. are dominant companies when it comes to processing of Suppy Chain.

5. Wholesalers and/or distributors

A. How is this product distributed once it leaves the processing facility? Discuss the possibilities for all of the following distribution options. The product could be distributed by the processor. The product could go to an independent wholesaler who then sells the product to retailers. The product could go to a distribution system run by the retailer.

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6. Retailers

A. At what retail operations can a consumer purchase this product? Describe all of the possibilities (including foodservice). Tofu can usually be found in the produce section of any grocery store. It is usually in the refrigerated case, next to the bagged salads, fresh herbs, packaged prepared veggies, etc. You may also find non-refrigerated tofu in the Asian food section. A third place to check would be the organic section, if your store has one and if you're looking for organic tofu.

B. Are there a large number of retail and/or foodservice outlets? Soy products are mostly available through super markets or through non conventional grocery shops where the awareness period is higher.

C. Are there any dominant companies at this retail level of the supply chain? One stop shops and malls such as Wallmart, Carrefour etc are dominant in Soy sales currently.

7. Consumers

A. Describe how this product is used by consumers. Soy milk is consumed directly by customers since it is available in ready to serve packs. Tofu and other Soy products are further cooked before consuming. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------B. What group of consumers would not eat this product and why? Soy products can not replace the conventional products in case of taste yet. Hence, food buffs, youngsters going for tasty food, non-veg food for protein requirement etc. would not prefer to consume Soy products.

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C. If you were a producer of this product, who would be your target market and why? Describe the demographic, geographic and psychographic characteristics of your target market. Target market would be the US market which has high demand for Soy products than the supply can meet. Products can also be sold through speciality stores where awareness amongst the consumers is high. Further business development activities would help in creating a market in domestic market as well. Although demand is high in East Asian Countries, most of their demand is met through domestic production.

D. What are the important consumer trends related to your product? Consumers are more aware about Soy Milk than Tofu (Substitute of Paneer) or any other products made from Soy.

E. Is this a product that is growing in popularity? Why or why not? Yes, processed Soy food is growing in popularity due to the numerous health benefits of Soy being discovered by scientists over past few years.

F. Are the types of consumers buying your product changing? How might changing demographics or psychographics impacting demand for your product? Yes, the type of consumers going for Soy foods is changing over a period of time. Earlier, Soy food was consumed mainly in East Asian Countries where majority of population is lactose intolerant. Soy milk provided a good protein substitute for people from this region. Now, due to the increasing awareness about health benefits of Soy, its ability to keep certain cancers at bay, demand for Soy foods has increased all around the world. Soy food as a great demand in the USA and EU.

G. How could you differentiate your product from that of your competitors to win consumers for your brand? There are various traditional and modern techniques of Soy processing. The traditional techniques include germination, fermentation and other such activities whereas the

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modern technique involves eliminating the unwanted material and processing the grains. However, research has shown that Soybean shows more health benefits when its fermented during processing. This factor can be used to spread consumer awareness that all our products are from fermented Soy and hence more nutritious than the unfermented products.

8. Competition

A. What other supply chains for substitute products does your supply chain compete against? The supply chain competes against the traditional paneer supply chain in B2B businesses. In North india, paneer is prepared at home and consumed. This poses a threat to the tofu supply chain and is one of the major obstacle for low penetration of tofu in Indian markets. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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9. Values-based food supply chains

A. For your product, how might agricultural production be different in a values-based food supply chain compared to a mainstream food supply chain? Different varieties of Soybeans are suitable for different kind of processed foods. Soybean is also the most genetically crop available. However, the farmers are not aware of what exavt variety they should go for so that they get a better price in their area. This will depend on the kind of products preferred in the regional market or to domestic industries where the farmers sell their product. A value based food supply chain will ensure hat proper knowledge will penetrate to the grower level thus helping the entire value chain in number of ways.

B. How might the product be differentiated in a values-based food supply chain compared to a mainstream food supply chain? Same variety and quality of raw material will be available for processing thus impacting the end product substantially. The processing industry can thus procure right kind of raw material reuired for a particular processed product with the surety of supply.

C. Describe the characteristics of the business relationships between participants in the various levels of a values-based food supply chaincompared to a mainstream food supply chain. The business relationship between all stake holders of supply chain should be of trust and understanding. To build such a chain, compatibility of all the stakeholders is necessary. If the chain is big and its difficult to judge the compatibility, some contract or stringent norms can be implemented to ensure smooth material and information flow in the cycle.