Identification of losses and wastes in the dairy sector of the province of Cotopaxi

Abstract

The research work provides an overview of the dairy sector in Ecuador. National milk production in Ecuador is around 5.5 million liters per day, with the Sierra region accounting for 79.5% of total production, and the research focuses on identifying losses and waste in the dairy sector in the province of Cotopaxi in Ecuador. However, consumption of dairy products has been decreasing. The objective of this work is to identify the sources and causes of losses and waste in the dairy value chain in the province of Cotopaxi. The research has a quantitative approach, with character was carried out in three stages: Descriptive Statistics, Multiple Linear Regression Models and Field Research. They reviewed the existing literature on losses and waste in the dairy value chain and collected data from reliable statistical sources. They conducted direct research in the province of Cotopaxi to collect specific data on milk collection, wastage and producer prices. The results of the analysis addressed interactions between stages of the dairy value chain, highlighting significant changes in prices between 2015 and 2023. The two multiple linear regression models reveal significant relationships between key variables and prices in the Cotopaxi dairy sector. Analysis of the primary data reveals that losses in milk production are mainly due to handling and hygiene problems in primary production, poor maintenance of refrigeration equipment in post-harvest storage, and deficiencies in pasteurization and homogenization processes during processing. In distribution and marketing, poor storage conditions cause the highest percentage of wastage.