Abstract
Crop planning problems have been extensively studied from different perspectives (profit maximization, optimizing available water use, sustainability, etc.). In this paper, a new approach is proposed that considers new forms of customer-producer relationship, involving long-term cooperation agreements where the product volumes are agreed, and the demand is guaranteed in advance. In this context, typical of manufacturing production systems, crop planning must guarantee a given production level on specific dates, thus becoming deterministic in nature. In that context, this paper introduces a lexicographic biobjective optimization approach that, in addition to cost minimization, aims at minimizing the risk of not meeting the agreed demands. The latter is done by maximizing the geographic dispersion of the crops so that weather risk is mitigated. A number of experiments have been carried out to test the proposed approach, showing the high complexity of the solution and opening the door to new solution procedures for a problem that results from interest given to the new type of relationships in the food logistics chain.
Highlights
The traditional goal of making the products arrive on time to the correct customer must be fulfilled in addition to the specific quality required to avoid health problems, usually with long lead times under considerable uncertainties and all these with small profit margins [1]
We will deal with the two first areas, in particular with crop planning and the decisions related to harvesting
To include in the approach the inherent risk of working with agriculture harvesting, we propose for the first time a geographic diversification strategy in the crop planning process, as a means to increase the odds of satisfying the demand
Summary
All activities related to agricultural planning are important, given the basic nature of human needs that are fulfilled by their output. [10] mentioned that, in addition to this difficulty of land availability, it must be taken into account that production costs increase (transportation, workforce, supervision and, in general, harvest coordination) They conclude that this strategy is more suitable for the bigger farmers who do not need much machinery to be transported. To include in the approach the inherent risk of working with agriculture harvesting, we propose for the first time a geographic diversification strategy in the crop planning process, as a means to increase the odds of satisfying the demand. Sustainable agriculture is understood by [25] as economically viable and environmentally and socially fair In their case, for instance, instead of cost minimization, a sustainability aspect such as the minimization of the surface area needed to cover crop demands is considered.
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