Blockchain Technology in Horticultural Supply Chain Management: A Global Review
Annapurna Neeralgi *
University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, India.
T. Pavan Thejasvi
University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, India.
Nethravathi Ashok Patil
University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, India.
Laxman Kukanoor
DSLD CHEFT, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Global horticultural supply chains are characterised by structural complexity, geographical dispersion, and persistent vulnerabilities related to opacity, food safety failures, substantial post-harvest losses, and inequitable value distribution. Blockchain technology—a distributed, immutable ledger system—has attracted significant attention from researchers, practitioners, and policymakers as a mechanism capable of addressing these longstanding deficiencies. This article presents a critical narrative review of the scholarly and institutional literature on blockchain applications within horticultural supply chain management, drawing on peer-reviewed journal publications and authoritative institutional reports. The review synthesises evidence on the foundational properties of blockchain and their alignment with supply chain governance needs; principal applications including traceability, food safety monitoring, smart contracting, and smallholder integration; and the convergence of blockchain with complementary technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and digital twin systems. Search queries were constructed using Boolean combinations of terms including "blockchain AND horticultural supply chain"; "distributed ledger AND horticulture"; "blockchain AND fresh produce AND traceability"; "blockchain AND agri-food supply chain"; "smart contracts AND agricultural supply chain"; "blockchain AND food safety"; "blockchain AND IoT AND agriculture"; "blockchain adoption AND supply chain barriers"; and "blockchain AND smallholder farmers". Regional perspectives from Asia-Pacific, India, sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe and North America are examined to illuminate heterogeneous adoption trajectories and contextual conditions. Technical, economic, regulatory, and social barriers to adoption are critically appraised alongside the sustainability implications of blockchain deployment. The review finds that whilst blockchain holds genuine promise for improving transparency, reducing fraud, and enabling more equitable value chains in horticulture, substantial challenges persist regarding scalability, interoperability, energy consumption, governance, and the digital exclusion of smallholder producers. A future research agenda is proposed, emphasising longitudinal empirical evaluation, inclusive design, and the governance of multi-party blockchain consortia.
Keywords: Blockchain, horticultural supply chain, food traceability, distributed ledger technology, smart contracts, food safety, agri-food sustainability, Internet of Things