Quantifying food loss in the first mile of the supply chain for perishable broccoli and cauliflower: The case of Colombia

Food losses occurring early in the supply chain represent a critical challenge for sustainability, food security and the profitability of rural producers. This study focuses on quantifying these losses in highly perishable crops to measure their physical and economic impact, as well as to identify the most vulnerable stages of the production chain. Direct quantification techniques were applied to measure the volume of losses, complemented by quality-attribute assessments and the P-method to estimate the associated economic reduction. This approach enabled the comparison of physical, economic and quality-related losses across different phases of the production process. The findings reveal average monthly losses of 568 kg of broccoli and 356 kg of cauliflower, equivalent to approximately 9.5 million COP. Quality assessments indicate an additional 927 kg and 537 kg of losses, respectively, while the P-method confirms an economic impact equivalent to 534 kg for one of the crops. Losses are primarily concentrated on the germination, harvesting and post-harvest management stages, demonstrating a non-homogeneous distribution of the problem throughout the supply chain. The study highlights the magnitude of losses and underlines the need to design and implement targeted control strategies in critical phases to optimize production efficiency, reduce economic impacts and contribute to the sustainability of the agricultural sector.