Impact of COVID-19 on logistics systems and disruptions in food supply chain

TLDR

COVID‑19 has severely disrupted economies by suspending manufacturing and logistics, causing widespread demand‑supply mismatches across sectors. The study develops a simulation of the public distribution system under three scenarios to illustrate food‑chain disruptions and to promote a resilient, responsive supply chain during a pandemic. The simulation model represents the PDS network and evaluates three scenarios, providing decision‑making support for vehicle rerouting under travel restrictions. The model reveals growing difficulty in matching supply and demand as infection rates rise, and identifies future research directions for a more robust food‑supply network.

Abstract

An outbreak of deadly COVID-19 virus has not only taken the lives of people but also severely crippled the economy. Due to strict lockdown, the manufacturing and logistics activities have been suspended, and it has affected the demand and supply of various products as a result of restrictions imposed on shopkeepers and retailers. Impacts of COVID-19 are observed ubiquitously in every type of units from different sectors. In this study, a simulation model of the public distribution system (PDS) network is developed with three different scenarios to demonstrate disruptions in the food supply chain. Difficulties have been increased in matching supply and demand in a vast network of PDS because of changing scenarios with the growth of infected cases and recovery. This paper also highlights the importance of a resilient supply chain during a pandemic. Our proposed simulation model can help in developing a resilient and responsive food supply chain to match the varying demand, and then further assist in providing decision-making support for rerouting the vehicles as per travel restrictions in areas. Paper has been summarised with significant highlights and including future research scope for developing a more robust food supply chain network.