The agricultural product logistics industry needs both software and hardware measures, advancing facility construction and technological innovation

At present, China's agricultural product logistics industry is developing relatively rapidly, but there are still some prominent problems that have affected the development of modern agriculture. In response to these problems, increasing innovation in "software" and "hardware" has become the solution, including: strengthening infrastructure construction and promoting innovation in the logistics system; applying information technology to promote innovation in logistics technology and services; strengthening policy innovation to promote the healthy development of the agricultural product logistics industry.

Generally speaking, agriculture is an industry with a very strong "fresh" nature. To improve the level of agricultural development and advance agricultural modernization, it is necessary to develop a supporting, efficient and rapid modern agricultural product logistics industry. The 2016 No. 1 Central Document pointed out that the circulation facilities and market construction for agricultural products must be strengthened. Only by strengthening innovation-driven development and improving the quality and efficiency of agricultural product logistics can we effectively advance the modernization and industrialization of agriculture, provide support for the supply-side structural reform of agriculture, and lay a solid foundation for better solving the issues relating to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.

At present, China's agricultural product logistics industry is developing relatively rapidly, but there are still some prominent problems that have affected the development of modern agriculture. These problems are mainly manifested as: an oversupply of products that meet general consumer demand, creating "difficulty in selling", and insufficient supply of products that meet individualized consumer demand, creating "difficulty in buying"; a relatively low level of agricultural industrialization and lagging large-scale and intensive development, resulting in low market concentration in agricultural product logistics and making it difficult to form large-scale logistics demand; the modernization and industrialization of agricultural product logistics lagging behind industrial logistics, and the quality and structure of logistics supply lagging behind the requirements of economic development; the lack of a dedicated regulatory body, imperfect design of regulatory systems, and unsystematic industrial policies; and so on. In response to these problems, we can start from the following three aspects and increase innovation in "software" and "hardware".

Strengthen infrastructure construction and promote innovation in the logistics system. For a long time, China has invested heavily in the field of agricultural production, but investment in agricultural product preservation technology and the circulation field has been relatively insufficient. Therefore, a logistics industry development fund should be established to drive private capital investment and make up for the shortcomings in agricultural product logistics infrastructure. First, accelerate the construction of road transportation networks and solve road transportation problems between production areas and sales areas. Second, strengthen the construction of agricultural product wholesale markets, build storage facilities for fresh agricultural products such as vegetables and fruits according to high standards, equip them with quality testing equipment, and improve supporting services. Third, improve the public service level of the agricultural product logistics industry. For example, establish a standardized production and quality traceability system for agricultural products, an operator credit reporting system, and various specialized service systems to provide support for advancing the modernization of the agricultural product logistics industry. On this basis, improve and innovate the agricultural product distribution logistics system. Focusing on the goal of combining online and offline channels in rural areas and the two-way circulation of agricultural products and industrial goods, we should focus on supporting a number of logistics enterprises in mergers and acquisitions and in becoming larger and stronger; build logistics distribution centers at key locations such as urban and rural nodes, major material collection and distribution centers, and storage sites, efficiently organize logistics activities including pre-production materials, post-production sales, and post-sales recycling, and provide cross-regional, cross-departmental and cross-trade-area services; and strengthen the integration of various storage centers such as commerce, grain, supply and marketing cooperatives, materials, and foreign trade to provide support for agricultural product distribution.

Apply information technology to promote innovation in logistics technology and services. In today's era, a new round of scientific and technological revolution with information technology at its core is emerging. Information technologies such as the Internet, big data, and cloud computing have penetrated every aspect of production and life, powerfully driving economic and social development. Innovation and application of information technology in the agricultural product logistics industry should be encouraged, continuously increasing the added value of logistics services and promoting the transformation and upgrading of the agricultural product logistics industry. Promote the deep integration of the Internet, big data, and cloud computing with the agricultural product logistics industry, develop cloud logistics platforms, strengthen informatization and standardization, and reduce total social logistics costs. Focus on cultivating new forms and new organizational methods of agricultural product logistics supported by "Internet Plus" and information technology, and provide support to innovation entities in many aspects such as technological innovation, environment creation, patent protection, and capital market support; accelerate the networked, digital, and intelligent construction of agricultural product logistics, promote the integrated development of online and offline channels, and improve the efficiency of agricultural product logistics management; encourage areas with the conditions to establish "Internet Plus agricultural product logistics" development funds and guide social capital into the application of information technology in the agricultural product logistics industry.

Strengthen policy innovation and promote the healthy development of the agricultural product logistics industry. To promote the healthy development of the agricultural product logistics industry, we should give play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation while also giving full play to the positive role of the government and strengthening relevant policy innovation. We should rationalize industrial policies, standardize market regulation, reduce institutional transaction costs, and use policy innovation to promote quality improvement, efficiency enhancement, and healthy development of the agricultural product logistics industry. First, deepen reform to streamline administration, delegate power, improve regulation, and optimize services, formulate a negative list for market access, simplify approval procedures, and lay the institutional foundation for improving the efficiency of agricultural product logistics. Second, by formulating industry technical standards and norms and other means, cultivate large agricultural product circulation enterprises and enhance their marketing capabilities, market competitiveness, and risk resistance. Third, encourage innovation in rural financial markets and boost the large-scale and intensive development of agricultural product logistics. Fourth, establish a support policy system and encourage leading agricultural product logistics enterprises to help farmers reduce production costs and increase income. Fifth, actively guide industry associations and chambers of commerce to fully play their roles, strengthen market information exchange, and optimize the environment for industry development.