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Naturipe farms uses blockchain to track blueberries from harvest to table

source-logo  chepicap.com 25 April 2019 09:10, UTC

Naturipe Farm, in collaboration with tech company SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain service, will use blockchain to track Naturipe's blueberries all the way from the point of harvesting to your dining table.

Carol McMillan, director of information technology at Naturipe Farms explained that the crates with berries are weighed, scanned and then sent to cold storage.

'Moments after our produce is picked, the growers now place QR codes onto these crates. That QR code stays on those berries all the way to the store. Soon, by simply scanning the QR code with our smartphones, we’ll see proof of where the berries were grown and learn about the farm’s sustainability practices.'

With SAP's blockchain technology, consumers and customers will have the possibility to easily access the complete origin and history of Naturipe Farms produce, simply by using their smartphones to scan a QR code on the product package.

'Blockchain helps SAP customers track and trace goods across their entire supply chain by using SAP’s cloud platform blockchain services', said Eric Somitsch, senior director of SAP Agribusiness.

'Suppliers must use a provided code to enter their information into the blockchain. SAP’s blockchain captures that data and protects it with the world’s most stringent encryption security protocols.'

At present, most fruit is traced manually, using hand-written paperwork that accompanies the shipments.

'Just in that process alone, there can be delays of up to four hours for an air shipment, up to two days for a boat shipment for a product to get cleared and go through customs', Naturipe's IT Director Carol McMillan added.

Learn why and how SAP customer Naturipe Farms and Doehler GmbH moved to @SAP #S4HANA and what benefits they realized in this move. https://t.co/i9jzqDY9P3 pic.twitter.com/6UDKgLWrlW

— Jan Musil (@janmusil) April 12, 2019

In the future, blockchain data can be used to make better decisions relating to production itself, she said.

'Freshness is imperative to keep people healthy. We can use all the data input from weather patterns and harvest data to eventually better forecast the future.'

McMillan pointed out that currently, food supply chain stakeholders record their own product information and share only if necessary.

'The goal with our new blockchain technology is to help create a system with higher trust and transparency that ultimately simplifies operations and reduces food waste', she said.

'By pioneering this technology with SAP, we are hoping to lead a movement in the produce industry that minimizes waste and promotes transparent sustainability practices.'

Zero hunger is the second of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and @SAP is proud to partner with food manufacturers and farmers such as Stara and @Naturipe Farms, so that everyone can eat and live better. https://t.co/bIPAFsYb2k

— Apex.it (@ITApex) March 29, 2019
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