Cold chain logistics represents the final mile from farm to table and a critical step in preserving the value of fresh produce. In practice, temperature fluctuations during transportation often lead to product loss, negatively impacting farmers, logistics providers, and consumers alike.

The Industrial Development Center of the Agricultural Technology Research Institute has undertaken the National Development Council’s “Blockchain Application Demonstration Project for Public Services” this year. The project supports Taiwanese logistics companies in applying blockchain technology to agricultural cold chain transportation, using central Taiwan as a pilot demonstration site to establish a model for agri-food blockchain applications. The institute also held a “Blockchain Applications in Food Logistics Results Presentation” on September 2 to share the outcomes of the project with the public.

Why Global Food Companies Are Investing in Blockchain Technology

In recent years, consumers have placed increasing importance on food safety. To strengthen trust in their brands, major food companies have been investing in systems that ensure product traceability. At the same time, advancements in food processing technologies have made supply chains more complex, rendering traditional traceability systems insufficient. The key value of blockchain—its ability to protect data from tampering—has therefore become a major driver for companies investing in such systems.

This digital technology service enables real-time data sharing across the production line with all stakeholders in the supply chain, while also providing a fair and transparent data platform between suppliers and logistics providers. In the event of disputes, responsibilities can be clearly defined, protecting the rights and interests of both parties. At the results presentation, Associate Researcher Ting Chuan-Yi from the Industrial Development Center of the Agricultural Technology Research Institute also noted, “In the future, blockchain applications can be extended to production traceability systems. However, this requires incentives for suppliers, as encouraging farmers to digitize their production records is the most effective driver.”

Taiwan’s First Agri-Food Blockchain: Roundday Logistics’ Cold Chain Total Solution

Roundday Logistics, a well-established logistics brand in Taiwan, participated in this project. At the results presentation, the company invited Special Assistant to the Chairman, Chou Chih-Cheng, to share its cold chain total solution:

“Logistics providers and clients each operate their own information systems, but mutual trust in data is not always guaranteed. In the past, paper-based documents were used for shipment records. When temperature deviations caused product losses, both parties had to spend significant time and manpower tracing records—let alone reconciling documents between them.”

Roundday Logistics has established its own refrigerated facilities and partnered with Chunghwa Telecom to develop a system for tracking temperature and shipment status. Through this “total solution,” the company overcomes key industry challenges—such as delayed temperature data, lack of transparency, and incomplete cargo information—creating a win-win situation for both customers and logistics providers.

On September 2, the Agricultural Technology Research Institute held the “Results Presentation on Blockchain Applications in Food Logistics” at GIS NTU Convention Center, with President Chen Jen-Pin delivering opening remarks. He stated that applying blockchain’s tamper-proof characteristics to agriculture can help Taiwan’s food and logistics industries ensure food safety through traceability systems. In addition, it can also support agribusinesses by enabling more efficient access to financial services and credit.

Reprinted from China Daily News