Current Status and Countermeasures for the Development of Cold Chain Logistics for Agricultural Products in Western China

Cold chain logistics plays a critical role in ensuring the quality and safety of temperature-sensitive agricultural products, including meat, vegetables, and fruits. Focusing on Western China and the associated region-specific agricultural products, this study reviews the current state of development of cold chain logistics technologies and equipment, encompassing packaging, transportation, pre-cooling, storage, preservation, and sterilization. Moreover, this study discusses the key strengths and limitations of the current system and proposes targeted policy and operational recommendations. The study also analyzes the adoption of emerging Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in core functions, such as information management, traceability, and real-time monitoring. Additionally, the study highlights the effectiveness of metaheuristic and hybrid algorithms in optimizing cold chain distribution routes. In the future, agricultural cold chain logistics in Western China are expected to evolve into a more intelligent, standardized, and internationally interconnected system. Supported by geographic endowments and policy incentives, this transformation is expected to help convert regional production advantages into sustained economic competitiveness.