Optimum location for export-oriented slaughterhouses in Mato Grosso, Brazil: a dynamic mathematical model

摘要

This paper presents a dynamic mathematical model developed to determine the optimum location for new export-oriented slaughterhouses (EOSs) in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. The optimal locations are identified by minimising the costs of cattle transportation, EOS installation, and distribution from the EOS to export ports and from these ports to foreign destinations. The spatial arrangement is subject to a series of physical and behavioural constraints such as supply of rawmaterials, demand for beef, and EOS production capacity. Results show that the installation of three EOSs located in Mato Grosso regions closest to export ports would meet current foreign market demand for Mato Grosso beef and minimise logistical costs in the state's export beef supply chain.