CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

In business, one should have the capacity to renovate and innovate for the

sake of sound business status. This includes managing the products well during

abundance or even at the season of scarce. One cannot avoid the time wherein a

certain product will reach its end and one can get nothing in return due to what

damage the product inhibited. Needless to say, most of the vendors have already

experienced such phenomenon like this. Fast-food chain vendors experienced

food spoilage, fish vendors experienced having foul-smelling fishes, and

merchandisers experienced having expired commodities. Nevertheless, these

situations tend to appear normal and most of the vendors are getting used to it.

But sometimes, this phenomenon would bring the business into its downfall. Not

all the time, a business is being favoured by the seasons. Situations like these will

always be a part of business.

Businesses concerning foods are highly affected by these. One of the

many examples is the problem of rotten fruits. Rotten fruits are the most common

dilemma being faced by fruit vendors all over the world. Not just because it can

affect the quality of products the vendors display but most especially a deduction

to their sales and profit. The costs of these rotten products would have been a

great benefit to them but then, rotten products turned its self’s own cost into a

problem. A problem that is being faced and will always become a threat to every
fruit vendor and those who aspire to become one. This is a problem whose

solutions are very limited and minimal. Many vendors all over the world are

facing this and experienced crisis. And by this, fruit vendors settling in

Guihulngan City never escaped this reality.

[1]
According to a research study of Hussein et.al., fruits that are fresh are

prone to bruising; it is a mechanical damage that is common to all especially in

fruits during the time of harvest and even at the different processes in handling

after harvest. Aside from handling and knowing several strategies in preventing

this thing to happen (to reduce the damages acquired by the fruits), it is way better

to know the major factors that can contribute to such problems like this. Too

much of force exerted on the commodity during handpicking, machines, or, at the

time of harvest, a couple of impacts during the transportation of these

commodities, and the operation done unto these can cause excessive bruise

damage. The possibility of bruising is somehow depending on how these factors

affect the products’ both biochemical and physiological properties, and the

conditions of the environment such as humidity, temperature, and most of the

treatments induced after harvesting.

The Philippines is located in the equator giving it the average temperature

that became the challenge of every fruit there is. Guihulngan City, being one of

the many cities developing whose vendors are settling unto it also encountered the

problem of rotten fruits. The temperature here also affected the qualities of fruits

giving the fruit vendors a hard time maintaining the original quality of their

products. Though temperature affected the products a lot, this is not just the only
one. For some vendors, the process of transporting fruits is the one responsible for

inducing fruit physical-appearance problems including fruit bruises and

rottenness. Unable to sell these fruits earlier can also alter its good quality due to

the problem of being old. Being not able to sell these fruits inside its fixed time

range can also lead to the same problem. Wasted fruits can also lead to wasted

costs affecting the performances of the business and the expectancy of business

profit. Because of this, the problem of sales reduction is also rated as a challenge

for most of the fruit vendors in Guihulngan City.

This research study seeks to focus on the question about the average cost

of the products that often go to waste and how much is the percentage of this cost

to their total sales. The researchers seek to asses this problem so much for the

future researchers to come up or develop any solutions to remedy this dilemma.

This research study mainly contains the population of fruit vendors who often

experience great problems about the frequently mentioned issue about the

problems concerning fruits and as well as the average amount of fruits that slip in

the hands of the fruit vendors due to wasted fruits. This study only limits itself in

the area of Brgy. Poblacion; one of the barangays of Guihulngan City. The main

purpose of this study is to determine the average cost of fruits that often go to

waste everyday from the fruit vendors on the area mentioned above. Despite the

design of being a quantitative research, the researchers will also see to it that

further statements and opinions of the participants concerning the focused topic

will also be processed, analyzed, interpreted, and included in this research paper

not altering its relevance and use.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This research aims to spot the answer about the question of how much is the

average amount wasted due to the problems of rotten, damaged, wasted, and bruised

fruits. The following problems are used to guide the researchers to stick to the topic

being tackled and at the same time to guide this research study towards its main

objective as stated by this research study’s title.

1.0 What is the profile of the respondents?

 Age

 Gender

 Location

 Years in the industry

2.0 How many fruit vendors are currently settling in Brgy. Poblacion?

2.A Which area or street of Barangay Poblacion do most of the fruit vendors

settle?

3.0 How much is the average amounts of fruits do the fruit vendors purchase every
day?

3.A How much is the average amount of fruits can they sell every day?

3.B How much is the average income respondents’ earned every day?

4.0 How much is the average amounts of wasted fruits are there within a week?

4.A To what extent do fruit vendors experience the negative alteration of fruits

within a week?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study seeks to assess the common problems of the fruit vendors

particularly those settling in Brgy. Poblacion, Guihulngan City. One of the goals

of this study is to further magnify and give contrast to the problem being focused

on this research study. People’s awareness about the given problems in which this

study focuses can be of benefit to all. The awareness can be of great help to assess

the vendors’ skills in minimizing such factors that can contribute for these

problems (alteration of the qualities of the fruits) to happen.

Furthermore, it delves to assess the major problem and develop credible

and factual results so much for the possibility of other researchers to develop a

solution that can be of great help not just for an individual but also for the society

as a whole. Hoping for this possibility, the researchers are looking forward on the

future researches to happen.

SCOPES AND DELIMITATIONS

This research study only limits itself in the area of Brgy. Poblacion

Guihulngan City wherein there are large numbers of fruit vendors settling and

making a surface and ambiance of competitive market. This study only focuses on
the problem of damaged fruits. Anything not related to this problem are beyond

the variables being measured by the researchers and is not included in this study.

Further concerns regarding the topic not included in the focus of the study and

places way beyond the research locale are merely out of the researchers’ scopes

and delimitations.

The researchers can only provide answers to the study being conducted

and cannot go in more further in making this study wide and general due to the

lack of time and wide capacity. However, if recommendations and attributions are

being held, the researchers will be glad to accept and give sides unto it.
[1]
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2019.07.006