Sustainable Production and Supply Chain Practices in Organic Food Enterprises

Abstract

In recent years, businesses have been shifting toward sustainable production and supply chain practices due to sensitive environmental concerns and rising demand for organic food. Sustainability is a vital component of modern corporate practices, especially in the organic food sector, where resource conservation and environmental responsibility are key pillars of today's businesses. To reduce their environmental impact and encourage responsible resource use, organic food businesses are increasingly implementing sustainable production and supply chain practices. This paper examines sustainable production methods and supply chain practices in organic food enterprises. This study also concentrates on the major challenges that organic food enterprises face and aims to overcome obstacles in implementing sustainable practices. A structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data from 30 organic food producers and enterprises. A descriptive research design was selected in the study. Data analysis was done using statistical tools such as the Garrett Ranking Technique, Percentage Analysis, and Weighted Average Mean with Ranking. The study's findings show that organic food enterprises frequently use safe and clean production methods, waste minimization strategies, and environmentally friendly sourcing. Additionally, the study shows that sustainable packaging techniques and eco-friendly supply chain strategies are progressively becoming more significant in business operations. However, the adoption of sustainable practices was found to be significantly hampered by financial limitations, high implementation costs, a lack of technical expertise, and infrastructure constraints. In order to achieve environmental sustainability and long-term business growth in the organic food enterprises, the study emphasizes the significance of supporting sustainable production and green supply chain methods. The results could help researchers, legislators, and organic food enterprises to create sustainable methods that work. Additionally, the study advances the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 12, which deals with responsible production and consumption. Here, the researcher focuses on aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals to deepen the understanding of sustainable operational practices in organic food enterprises and the role in encouraging ethical production and enhancing environmental sustainability.