Walmart, one of the mega supermarket brands in the United States (US), and globally, has announced that it will be piloting blockchain tracking of seafood coming from India.
The main goal of this pilot project will be to ensure the origins and authenticity of seafood sourced in India and directed towards the US market.
Blockchain tracking of seafood
Seafood is one of the food sectors with strictest regulations on quality and sourcing. Even so, many fisheries turn to illegal fishing practices to boost profits.
What Walmart is looking to achieve is to create a secure blockchain tracking system, which will boost customer trust in the seafood chain stores offer.
To do that, the tracking system will cover every step of the product – from its sourcing at fish farms, through its travel routes, to its final destination at the store. While this might seem like an easy thing to achieve, the reality is a touch different.
Blockchain tracking has introduced a revolution in the food sector, as it allows for the storage and record-keeping of enormous amounts of data. Until now, there was no easy way to record and store every movement of a given product. This is why blockchain tracking is now becoming increasingly important for proving the quality and origin of all kinds of food products.
Walmart has previously participated in blockchain tracking projects, including a joint project with IBM, which focused on tracking medical products.
Shrimp market
According to Walmart, this new pilot project will help develop India as one of the preferred shrimp sources worldwide.
Once shrimp farms start participating in the blockchain tracking project, their credibility will rise, and customers will start seeking out their traceable shrimp products.
Hopefully, this blockchain initiative will serve as a boost to the shrimp market, as India is one of the largest shrimp exporters in the world. Unfortunately, many customers still distrust the country as a reliable origin location for seafood.
