Scientific Journal of KubSAU

The railroad warehouse has most important role in the delivery process of fertilizers to agricultural consumers. It acts as logistics intermediaries. The analysis of material flows has been done on the example of a typical provider of mineral fertilizers in the South of the Rostov region (CJSC «Zernogradagrohimservis») for the last 6 years. Income values and implementation values are varied during the year synchronously for all fertilizers types with the exception of a few months at the beginning and the end of the year. During most of the year the enterprise operates as a negotiable warehouse. In January-February and October-December ammonium nitrate accumulates as a seasonal inventory for the spring peak of implementation, in the rest of the year its reserves are insurance. Stocks of other fertilizers types are insurance stocks for most of the year, in May-July occurs a slight accumulation of their seasonal stocks. A significant portion of mineral fertilizers (especially ammonium nitrate) is delivered for small enterprises and individual farms by cars of this provider. According to the supply contracts, a one-car-run is performed for the vast majority of customers. Routes of delivery of fertilizers are either radial or pendulum (with reverse idle mileage). Therefore, the optimization of the delivery of fertilizers does not seem possible by methods such as obtaining the shortest route network, consolidation of suppliers for consumers, etc.