Production planning and control (PPC) involves forecasting production needs and allocating resources to efficiently produce the required products on time and at lowest cost. PPC has three phases - planning, action, and control. The planning phase determines material, labor, and machine requirements through techniques like forecasting and scheduling. The action phase implements the plan through activities like dispatching work orders. The control phase monitors progress against the plan and initiates corrective actions if needed. Effective PPC coordinates all production inputs and outputs to optimize efficiency and quality across the entire manufacturing process.