Determining the best harvesting practices for the South African sugar supply chain, using simulation

  • Authors:
  • Brendon C. McDonald;Erick Dube

  • Affiliations:
  • Univ. of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa;Univ. of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

  • Venue:
  • EMS '07 Proceedings of the Third IASTED International Conference on Environmental Modelling and Simulation
  • Year:
  • 2007

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Abstract

The Harvesting of the South African Sugarcane Supply chain is a complex and integrated system of activities. Lately this industry has begun to realize that there is a definitive need to standardize field operations and produce an efficient harvesting sector. The results from such undertakings can be substantial in terms of increasing output capacity, quality and decreasing costs, while simultaneously providing steady and constant supply of sugarcane to the mill. However to tackle such a task, means trying to model both stochastic and dynamic events, this is an area where simulation tools play a vital role. It can be shown through use of simulation, that if farmers were to unite together and agree to follow a standardized approach to field operations, the South African Sugarcane Supply Chain can operate smoothly and efficiently.