OR/MS decision support models for the specialty crops industry: a literature review

Specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, grapes and wine, ornamentals–nursery and floriculture–tree nuts, berries, and dried fruits) comprise a substantial–and growing–portion of agribusiness. Still, the industry is facing a number of severe problems that must be resolved to sustain it and promote its continued growth. This paper is intended to provide growers and distribution managers insights into the variety of decision support possible and benchmarks for improvements they can help to achieve and to provide academic researchers with insights into industry operations and a vision of research needs.