An optimization approach for scheduling wine grape harvest operations

This article presents a practical tool for optimally scheduling wine grape harvesting operations taking into account both operational costs and grape quality. We solve a mixed-integer linear programming model to support harvest scheduling, labor allocation, and routing decisions. A quality loss function is used to represent wine quality reduction at each vineyard block due to premature or deferred harvest with respect to an optimal date. We present computational results which show that the proposed tool could be used to support grape harvest planning in a large vineyard, at both a tactical and operational level.