Group 1: Core Insights - The rise of blockchain technology is transforming food safety by providing a decentralized, tamper-proof, and transparent solution for agricultural product traceability, thereby enhancing consumer trust and allowing for significant price premiums of up to 40% for blockchain-traced products [1][6][8] Group 2: Trust Crisis in Agricultural Market - The agricultural market faces a severe trust crisis due to fragmented smallholder economies, lack of effective regulation on pesticide and fertilizer use, and a high percentage of consumers doubting the quality of agricultural products, with 76.8% expressing concerns [2][3] - A significant portion of consumers, particularly high-end buyers, are skeptical about organic certifications, leading to a market acceptance rate of less than 30% for organic products [2] Group 3: Limitations of Traditional Traceability Systems - Traditional traceability systems are inadequate due to issues such as data tampering, data silos, and high verification costs, resulting in a consumer acceptance rate of only 40% for existing traceability systems [3][4] - The introduction of blockchain technology addresses these limitations by ensuring data integrity, enhancing transparency, and reducing verification times from an average of 72 hours to instant verification [5][6] Group 4: Blockchain Mechanism and Advantages - Blockchain operates as a distributed database that records every stage of agricultural production, ensuring that data is stored across multiple nodes, making tampering nearly impossible [4][5] - The advantages of blockchain include improved transparency, enhanced security through cryptographic methods, and increased efficiency via smart contracts, which streamline the verification process [5][6] Group 5: Economic Implications of Blockchain Traceability - The 40% price premium associated with blockchain-traced agricultural products is linked to reduced risk perception among consumers, with studies showing a 37% decrease in perceived risk when complete product information is available [6][7] - The willingness to pay for blockchain-traced products is significantly higher among younger, more educated consumers, indicating a "digital divide" in consumer behavior [7][8] Group 6: Industry Transformation and Value Redistribution - The application of blockchain technology is leading to a profound restructuring of the agricultural supply chain, redefining value creation and distribution across all stages from production to consumption [8][9] - The introduction of blockchain has reduced the number of intermediaries in the supply chain, resulting in lower distribution costs and increased market efficiency [9][10] Group 7: Challenges and Future Prospects - Despite the potential of blockchain in agricultural traceability, challenges such as inadequate technological infrastructure, data authenticity verification, and the lack of a unified legal framework hinder widespread adoption [10][11] - Collaborative innovation among stakeholders, including the development of lightweight solutions and government support initiatives, is essential for overcoming these challenges and facilitating the large-scale implementation of blockchain technology in agriculture [12][13]