Scheduling vegetable sales to supermarkets in Europe: The tomato case

Abstract

This article analyzes the temporal programming of sales for a horticultural marketing company, e.g. a co-operative. The empirical study references the European tomato market, where most of the production is sold through the retail channel dominated by large distribution chains. We study the marketing schedule for an individual company, or even a prominent farmer, using a modified Markowitz model, assuming that his decisions do not affect the balance of market prices. As a result, this model can manage risk and improve decision-making. The data also provide information on the risk borne by marketers depending on their sales calendar, which often depends on their geographic location.