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Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.If you find yourself having to purge your refrigerator's crisper bin every few weeks, imagine what goes on at a grocery store. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimates that annually between a third and a half of all food produced is wasted worldwide. Approximately 45% of all fruits and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of meat and dairy products are wasted by suppliers, retailers, and consumers every year. This waste is growing alongside a growing world population. The United Nations reports that the world population is expected to grow from 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050, which makes food security a more pressing issue. Growing food requires water, seeds, labour, machinery, energy, and fertilizer. Letting food go to waste, then, is a frivolous use of natural resources that drives up costs, inflates food prices, and weakens the food supply chain.Large food retailers such as Kroger, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Carrefour, and Wal-Mart stand in a unique position to address this global food issue. Because of their direct links with farmers, processors, and consumers, they have the power to influence every facet of the supply chain. And because the traditional supermarket industry is highly concentrated, for example, in the UK, the top seven food retailers account for 87% of the grocery market, retailers have considerable market power to bring about changes. However, their high volume - low margin business model also makes them vulnerable to threats such as competition, increasing wholesale prices, and changing consumer demands. For example, super discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, and Amazon are further squeezing already thin food retail margins for large retailers.Advancements in automation and software capabilities have made inventory management scalable across more SKUs and product types. Companies like Whole Foods and Target in the U.S. are now using software to input their store layouts so that deliveries are custom-organized in shelving sequence, making it possible to go directly from distribution warehouse to the retail floor. Before, retailers relied on intermediaries to move goods from the warehouse to the store. Investing in new technology can reduce excess inventory and handling, and cut down on the amount of perishables that ultimately go to waste. Savings promise to be large and lucrative but are still far from scaling. A number of pilots and minimal viable products (MVP) are currently being launched - and if proven right, they'll open the doors to massive investments in the technology surrounding inventory systems.Food waste starts at farms in the value chain. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 7% of produce is left unharvested in fields every year. This is partly due to the tendency to grow more than needed as a hedge against weather and disease and fluctuating wholesale and retail orders. But if more retailers start working directly with farmers or encourage their intermediaries to collaborate more with farmers, agricultural food waste can be significantly reduced. Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items to help farmers with their production plans and prevent overplanting. Retailers can also share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques to help farmers increase their production efficiency and boost farm product quality. For example, by working closely with its 822 sheep farmers during a season of poor Spring weather in 2015 that delayed lamb maturation, Sainsbury's in the UK was able to extend the lamb season by five weeks.Q. Which of the following steps can help in the prevention of over planting by farmers?a)Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items.b)Retailers can share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques.c)If more retailers start working directly with farmers.d)Advancements in automation and software capabilities.e)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? for CAT 2024 is part of CAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the CAT exam syllabus. Information about Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.If you find yourself having to purge your refrigerator's crisper bin every few weeks, imagine what goes on at a grocery store. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimates that annually between a third and a half of all food produced is wasted worldwide. Approximately 45% of all fruits and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of meat and dairy products are wasted by suppliers, retailers, and consumers every year. This waste is growing alongside a growing world population. The United Nations reports that the world population is expected to grow from 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050, which makes food security a more pressing issue. Growing food requires water, seeds, labour, machinery, energy, and fertilizer. Letting food go to waste, then, is a frivolous use of natural resources that drives up costs, inflates food prices, and weakens the food supply chain.Large food retailers such as Kroger, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Carrefour, and Wal-Mart stand in a unique position to address this global food issue. Because of their direct links with farmers, processors, and consumers, they have the power to influence every facet of the supply chain. And because the traditional supermarket industry is highly concentrated, for example, in the UK, the top seven food retailers account for 87% of the grocery market, retailers have considerable market power to bring about changes. However, their high volume - low margin business model also makes them vulnerable to threats such as competition, increasing wholesale prices, and changing consumer demands. For example, super discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, and Amazon are further squeezing already thin food retail margins for large retailers.Advancements in automation and software capabilities have made inventory management scalable across more SKUs and product types. Companies like Whole Foods and Target in the U.S. are now using software to input their store layouts so that deliveries are custom-organized in shelving sequence, making it possible to go directly from distribution warehouse to the retail floor. Before, retailers relied on intermediaries to move goods from the warehouse to the store. Investing in new technology can reduce excess inventory and handling, and cut down on the amount of perishables that ultimately go to waste. Savings promise to be large and lucrative but are still far from scaling. A number of pilots and minimal viable products (MVP) are currently being launched - and if proven right, they'll open the doors to massive investments in the technology surrounding inventory systems.Food waste starts at farms in the value chain. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 7% of produce is left unharvested in fields every year. This is partly due to the tendency to grow more than needed as a hedge against weather and disease and fluctuating wholesale and retail orders. But if more retailers start working directly with farmers or encourage their intermediaries to collaborate more with farmers, agricultural food waste can be significantly reduced. Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items to help farmers with their production plans and prevent overplanting. Retailers can also share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques to help farmers increase their production efficiency and boost farm product quality. For example, by working closely with its 822 sheep farmers during a season of poor Spring weather in 2015 that delayed lamb maturation, Sainsbury's in the UK was able to extend the lamb season by five weeks.Q. Which of the following steps can help in the prevention of over planting by farmers?a)Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items.b)Retailers can share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques.c)If more retailers start working directly with farmers.d)Advancements in automation and software capabilities.e)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for CAT 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.If you find yourself having to purge your refrigerator's crisper bin every few weeks, imagine what goes on at a grocery store. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimates that annually between a third and a half of all food produced is wasted worldwide. Approximately 45% of all fruits and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of meat and dairy products are wasted by suppliers, retailers, and consumers every year. This waste is growing alongside a growing world population. The United Nations reports that the world population is expected to grow from 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050, which makes food security a more pressing issue. Growing food requires water, seeds, labour, machinery, energy, and fertilizer. Letting food go to waste, then, is a frivolous use of natural resources that drives up costs, inflates food prices, and weakens the food supply chain.Large food retailers such as Kroger, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Carrefour, and Wal-Mart stand in a unique position to address this global food issue. Because of their direct links with farmers, processors, and consumers, they have the power to influence every facet of the supply chain. And because the traditional supermarket industry is highly concentrated, for example, in the UK, the top seven food retailers account for 87% of the grocery market, retailers have considerable market power to bring about changes. However, their high volume - low margin business model also makes them vulnerable to threats such as competition, increasing wholesale prices, and changing consumer demands. For example, super discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, and Amazon are further squeezing already thin food retail margins for large retailers.Advancements in automation and software capabilities have made inventory management scalable across more SKUs and product types. Companies like Whole Foods and Target in the U.S. are now using software to input their store layouts so that deliveries are custom-organized in shelving sequence, making it possible to go directly from distribution warehouse to the retail floor. Before, retailers relied on intermediaries to move goods from the warehouse to the store. Investing in new technology can reduce excess inventory and handling, and cut down on the amount of perishables that ultimately go to waste. Savings promise to be large and lucrative but are still far from scaling. A number of pilots and minimal viable products (MVP) are currently being launched - and if proven right, they'll open the doors to massive investments in the technology surrounding inventory systems.Food waste starts at farms in the value chain. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 7% of produce is left unharvested in fields every year. This is partly due to the tendency to grow more than needed as a hedge against weather and disease and fluctuating wholesale and retail orders. But if more retailers start working directly with farmers or encourage their intermediaries to collaborate more with farmers, agricultural food waste can be significantly reduced. Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items to help farmers with their production plans and prevent overplanting. Retailers can also share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques to help farmers increase their production efficiency and boost farm product quality. For example, by working closely with its 822 sheep farmers during a season of poor Spring weather in 2015 that delayed lamb maturation, Sainsbury's in the UK was able to extend the lamb season by five weeks.Q. Which of the following steps can help in the prevention of over planting by farmers?a)Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items.b)Retailers can share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques.c)If more retailers start working directly with farmers.d)Advancements in automation and software capabilities.e)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?.

Solutions for Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.If you find yourself having to purge your refrigerator's crisper bin every few weeks, imagine what goes on at a grocery store. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimates that annually between a third and a half of all food produced is wasted worldwide. Approximately 45% of all fruits and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of meat and dairy products are wasted by suppliers, retailers, and consumers every year. This waste is growing alongside a growing world population. The United Nations reports that the world population is expected to grow from 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050, which makes food security a more pressing issue. Growing food requires water, seeds, labour, machinery, energy, and fertilizer. Letting food go to waste, then, is a frivolous use of natural resources that drives up costs, inflates food prices, and weakens the food supply chain.Large food retailers such as Kroger, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Carrefour, and Wal-Mart stand in a unique position to address this global food issue. Because of their direct links with farmers, processors, and consumers, they have the power to influence every facet of the supply chain. And because the traditional supermarket industry is highly concentrated, for example, in the UK, the top seven food retailers account for 87% of the grocery market, retailers have considerable market power to bring about changes. However, their high volume - low margin business model also makes them vulnerable to threats such as competition, increasing wholesale prices, and changing consumer demands. For example, super discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, and Amazon are further squeezing already thin food retail margins for large retailers.Advancements in automation and software capabilities have made inventory management scalable across more SKUs and product types. Companies like Whole Foods and Target in the U.S. are now using software to input their store layouts so that deliveries are custom-organized in shelving sequence, making it possible to go directly from distribution warehouse to the retail floor. Before, retailers relied on intermediaries to move goods from the warehouse to the store. Investing in new technology can reduce excess inventory and handling, and cut down on the amount of perishables that ultimately go to waste. Savings promise to be large and lucrative but are still far from scaling. A number of pilots and minimal viable products (MVP) are currently being launched - and if proven right, they'll open the doors to massive investments in the technology surrounding inventory systems.Food waste starts at farms in the value chain. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 7% of produce is left unharvested in fields every year. This is partly due to the tendency to grow more than needed as a hedge against weather and disease and fluctuating wholesale and retail orders. But if more retailers start working directly with farmers or encourage their intermediaries to collaborate more with farmers, agricultural food waste can be significantly reduced. Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items to help farmers with their production plans and prevent overplanting. Retailers can also share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques to help farmers increase their production efficiency and boost farm product quality. For example, by working closely with its 822 sheep farmers during a season of poor Spring weather in 2015 that delayed lamb maturation, Sainsbury's in the UK was able to extend the lamb season by five weeks.Q. Which of the following steps can help in the prevention of over planting by farmers?a)Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items.b)Retailers can share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques.c)If more retailers start working directly with farmers.d)Advancements in automation and software capabilities.e)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for CAT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for CAT Exam by signing up for free.

Here you can find the meaning of Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.If you find yourself having to purge your refrigerator's crisper bin every few weeks, imagine what goes on at a grocery store. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimates that annually between a third and a half of all food produced is wasted worldwide. Approximately 45% of all fruits and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of meat and dairy products are wasted by suppliers, retailers, and consumers every year. This waste is growing alongside a growing world population. The United Nations reports that the world population is expected to grow from 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050, which makes food security a more pressing issue. Growing food requires water, seeds, labour, machinery, energy, and fertilizer. Letting food go to waste, then, is a frivolous use of natural resources that drives up costs, inflates food prices, and weakens the food supply chain.Large food retailers such as Kroger, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Carrefour, and Wal-Mart stand in a unique position to address this global food issue. Because of their direct links with farmers, processors, and consumers, they have the power to influence every facet of the supply chain. And because the traditional supermarket industry is highly concentrated, for example, in the UK, the top seven food retailers account for 87% of the grocery market, retailers have considerable market power to bring about changes. However, their high volume - low margin business model also makes them vulnerable to threats such as competition, increasing wholesale prices, and changing consumer demands. For example, super discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, and Amazon are further squeezing already thin food retail margins for large retailers.Advancements in automation and software capabilities have made inventory management scalable across more SKUs and product types. Companies like Whole Foods and Target in the U.S. are now using software to input their store layouts so that deliveries are custom-organized in shelving sequence, making it possible to go directly from distribution warehouse to the retail floor. Before, retailers relied on intermediaries to move goods from the warehouse to the store. Investing in new technology can reduce excess inventory and handling, and cut down on the amount of perishables that ultimately go to waste. Savings promise to be large and lucrative but are still far from scaling. A number of pilots and minimal viable products (MVP) are currently being launched - and if proven right, they'll open the doors to massive investments in the technology surrounding inventory systems.Food waste starts at farms in the value chain. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 7% of produce is left unharvested in fields every year. This is partly due to the tendency to grow more than needed as a hedge against weather and disease and fluctuating wholesale and retail orders. But if more retailers start working directly with farmers or encourage their intermediaries to collaborate more with farmers, agricultural food waste can be significantly reduced. Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items to help farmers with their production plans and prevent overplanting. Retailers can also share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques to help farmers increase their production efficiency and boost farm product quality. For example, by working closely with its 822 sheep farmers during a season of poor Spring weather in 2015 that delayed lamb maturation, Sainsbury's in the UK was able to extend the lamb season by five weeks.Q. Which of the following steps can help in the prevention of over planting by farmers?a)Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items.b)Retailers can share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques.c)If more retailers start working directly with farmers.d)Advancements in automation and software capabilities.e)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.If you find yourself having to purge your refrigerator's crisper bin every few weeks, imagine what goes on at a grocery store. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimates that annually between a third and a half of all food produced is wasted worldwide. Approximately 45% of all fruits and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of meat and dairy products are wasted by suppliers, retailers, and consumers every year. This waste is growing alongside a growing world population. The United Nations reports that the world population is expected to grow from 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050, which makes food security a more pressing issue. Growing food requires water, seeds, labour, machinery, energy, and fertilizer. Letting food go to waste, then, is a frivolous use of natural resources that drives up costs, inflates food prices, and weakens the food supply chain.Large food retailers such as Kroger, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Carrefour, and Wal-Mart stand in a unique position to address this global food issue. Because of their direct links with farmers, processors, and consumers, they have the power to influence every facet of the supply chain. And because the traditional supermarket industry is highly concentrated, for example, in the UK, the top seven food retailers account for 87% of the grocery market, retailers have considerable market power to bring about changes. However, their high volume - low margin business model also makes them vulnerable to threats such as competition, increasing wholesale prices, and changing consumer demands. For example, super discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, and Amazon are further squeezing already thin food retail margins for large retailers.Advancements in automation and software capabilities have made inventory management scalable across more SKUs and product types. Companies like Whole Foods and Target in the U.S. are now using software to input their store layouts so that deliveries are custom-organized in shelving sequence, making it possible to go directly from distribution warehouse to the retail floor. Before, retailers relied on intermediaries to move goods from the warehouse to the store. Investing in new technology can reduce excess inventory and handling, and cut down on the amount of perishables that ultimately go to waste. Savings promise to be large and lucrative but are still far from scaling. A number of pilots and minimal viable products (MVP) are currently being launched - and if proven right, they'll open the doors to massive investments in the technology surrounding inventory systems.Food waste starts at farms in the value chain. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 7% of produce is left unharvested in fields every year. This is partly due to the tendency to grow more than needed as a hedge against weather and disease and fluctuating wholesale and retail orders. But if more retailers start working directly with farmers or encourage their intermediaries to collaborate more with farmers, agricultural food waste can be significantly reduced. Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items to help farmers with their production plans and prevent overplanting. Retailers can also share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques to help farmers increase their production efficiency and boost farm product quality. For example, by working closely with its 822 sheep farmers during a season of poor Spring weather in 2015 that delayed lamb maturation, Sainsbury's in the UK was able to extend the lamb season by five weeks.Q. Which of the following steps can help in the prevention of over planting by farmers?a)Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items.b)Retailers can share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques.c)If more retailers start working directly with farmers.d)Advancements in automation and software capabilities.e)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.If you find yourself having to purge your refrigerator's crisper bin every few weeks, imagine what goes on at a grocery store. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimates that annually between a third and a half of all food produced is wasted worldwide. Approximately 45% of all fruits and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of meat and dairy products are wasted by suppliers, retailers, and consumers every year. This waste is growing alongside a growing world population. The United Nations reports that the world population is expected to grow from 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050, which makes food security a more pressing issue. Growing food requires water, seeds, labour, machinery, energy, and fertilizer. Letting food go to waste, then, is a frivolous use of natural resources that drives up costs, inflates food prices, and weakens the food supply chain.Large food retailers such as Kroger, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Carrefour, and Wal-Mart stand in a unique position to address this global food issue. Because of their direct links with farmers, processors, and consumers, they have the power to influence every facet of the supply chain. And because the traditional supermarket industry is highly concentrated, for example, in the UK, the top seven food retailers account for 87% of the grocery market, retailers have considerable market power to bring about changes. However, their high volume - low margin business model also makes them vulnerable to threats such as competition, increasing wholesale prices, and changing consumer demands. For example, super discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, and Amazon are further squeezing already thin food retail margins for large retailers.Advancements in automation and software capabilities have made inventory management scalable across more SKUs and product types. Companies like Whole Foods and Target in the U.S. are now using software to input their store layouts so that deliveries are custom-organized in shelving sequence, making it possible to go directly from distribution warehouse to the retail floor. Before, retailers relied on intermediaries to move goods from the warehouse to the store. Investing in new technology can reduce excess inventory and handling, and cut down on the amount of perishables that ultimately go to waste. Savings promise to be large and lucrative but are still far from scaling. A number of pilots and minimal viable products (MVP) are currently being launched - and if proven right, they'll open the doors to massive investments in the technology surrounding inventory systems.Food waste starts at farms in the value chain. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 7% of produce is left unharvested in fields every year. This is partly due to the tendency to grow more than needed as a hedge against weather and disease and fluctuating wholesale and retail orders. But if more retailers start working directly with farmers or encourage their intermediaries to collaborate more with farmers, agricultural food waste can be significantly reduced. Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items to help farmers with their production plans and prevent overplanting. Retailers can also share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques to help farmers increase their production efficiency and boost farm product quality. For example, by working closely with its 822 sheep farmers during a season of poor Spring weather in 2015 that delayed lamb maturation, Sainsbury's in the UK was able to extend the lamb season by five weeks.Q. Which of the following steps can help in the prevention of over planting by farmers?a)Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items.b)Retailers can share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques.c)If more retailers start working directly with farmers.d)Advancements in automation and software capabilities.e)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.If you find yourself having to purge your refrigerator's crisper bin every few weeks, imagine what goes on at a grocery store. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimates that annually between a third and a half of all food produced is wasted worldwide. Approximately 45% of all fruits and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of meat and dairy products are wasted by suppliers, retailers, and consumers every year. This waste is growing alongside a growing world population. The United Nations reports that the world population is expected to grow from 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050, which makes food security a more pressing issue. Growing food requires water, seeds, labour, machinery, energy, and fertilizer. Letting food go to waste, then, is a frivolous use of natural resources that drives up costs, inflates food prices, and weakens the food supply chain.Large food retailers such as Kroger, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Carrefour, and Wal-Mart stand in a unique position to address this global food issue. Because of their direct links with farmers, processors, and consumers, they have the power to influence every facet of the supply chain. And because the traditional supermarket industry is highly concentrated, for example, in the UK, the top seven food retailers account for 87% of the grocery market, retailers have considerable market power to bring about changes. However, their high volume - low margin business model also makes them vulnerable to threats such as competition, increasing wholesale prices, and changing consumer demands. For example, super discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, and Amazon are further squeezing already thin food retail margins for large retailers.Advancements in automation and software capabilities have made inventory management scalable across more SKUs and product types. Companies like Whole Foods and Target in the U.S. are now using software to input their store layouts so that deliveries are custom-organized in shelving sequence, making it possible to go directly from distribution warehouse to the retail floor. Before, retailers relied on intermediaries to move goods from the warehouse to the store. Investing in new technology can reduce excess inventory and handling, and cut down on the amount of perishables that ultimately go to waste. Savings promise to be large and lucrative but are still far from scaling. A number of pilots and minimal viable products (MVP) are currently being launched - and if proven right, they'll open the doors to massive investments in the technology surrounding inventory systems.Food waste starts at farms in the value chain. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 7% of produce is left unharvested in fields every year. This is partly due to the tendency to grow more than needed as a hedge against weather and disease and fluctuating wholesale and retail orders. But if more retailers start working directly with farmers or encourage their intermediaries to collaborate more with farmers, agricultural food waste can be significantly reduced. Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items to help farmers with their production plans and prevent overplanting. Retailers can also share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques to help farmers increase their production efficiency and boost farm product quality. For example, by working closely with its 822 sheep farmers during a season of poor Spring weather in 2015 that delayed lamb maturation, Sainsbury's in the UK was able to extend the lamb season by five weeks.Q. Which of the following steps can help in the prevention of over planting by farmers?a)Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items.b)Retailers can share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques.c)If more retailers start working directly with farmers.d)Advancements in automation and software capabilities.e)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.If you find yourself having to purge your refrigerator's crisper bin every few weeks, imagine what goes on at a grocery store. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimates that annually between a third and a half of all food produced is wasted worldwide. Approximately 45% of all fruits and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of meat and dairy products are wasted by suppliers, retailers, and consumers every year. This waste is growing alongside a growing world population. The United Nations reports that the world population is expected to grow from 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050, which makes food security a more pressing issue. Growing food requires water, seeds, labour, machinery, energy, and fertilizer. Letting food go to waste, then, is a frivolous use of natural resources that drives up costs, inflates food prices, and weakens the food supply chain.Large food retailers such as Kroger, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Carrefour, and Wal-Mart stand in a unique position to address this global food issue. Because of their direct links with farmers, processors, and consumers, they have the power to influence every facet of the supply chain. And because the traditional supermarket industry is highly concentrated, for example, in the UK, the top seven food retailers account for 87% of the grocery market, retailers have considerable market power to bring about changes. However, their high volume - low margin business model also makes them vulnerable to threats such as competition, increasing wholesale prices, and changing consumer demands. For example, super discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, and Amazon are further squeezing already thin food retail margins for large retailers.Advancements in automation and software capabilities have made inventory management scalable across more SKUs and product types. Companies like Whole Foods and Target in the U.S. are now using software to input their store layouts so that deliveries are custom-organized in shelving sequence, making it possible to go directly from distribution warehouse to the retail floor. Before, retailers relied on intermediaries to move goods from the warehouse to the store. Investing in new technology can reduce excess inventory and handling, and cut down on the amount of perishables that ultimately go to waste. Savings promise to be large and lucrative but are still far from scaling. A number of pilots and minimal viable products (MVP) are currently being launched - and if proven right, they'll open the doors to massive investments in the technology surrounding inventory systems.Food waste starts at farms in the value chain. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 7% of produce is left unharvested in fields every year. This is partly due to the tendency to grow more than needed as a hedge against weather and disease and fluctuating wholesale and retail orders. But if more retailers start working directly with farmers or encourage their intermediaries to collaborate more with farmers, agricultural food waste can be significantly reduced. Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items to help farmers with their production plans and prevent overplanting. Retailers can also share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques to help farmers increase their production efficiency and boost farm product quality. For example, by working closely with its 822 sheep farmers during a season of poor Spring weather in 2015 that delayed lamb maturation, Sainsbury's in the UK was able to extend the lamb season by five weeks.Q. Which of the following steps can help in the prevention of over planting by farmers?a)Food retailers can be more systematic in sharing forecast data for specific food items.b)Retailers can share productivity-enhancing knowledge and techniques.c)If more retailers start working directly with farmers.d)Advancements in automation and software capabilities.e)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice CAT tests.