ABSTRACT
The seasons dictate a strict schedule for agriculture and related industries such as food processing or the agricultural machinery industry. Farm equipment, especially harvesting machinery (i.e. combine harvesters), can only be employed during the short harvesting period. Some sugar refining plants only have a three month period of full operation (Benders, 1991). Demand for farm inputs like fertilisers or herbicides varies greatly over the year (Bloemen and Maes, 1992). As an additional burden, the uncertainties of the weather often make it hard or impossible to make reliable forecasts and schedules in industries related to agriculture.
