This study aims to understand the attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions concerning the consumption of Functional Foods (FF) and to analyze the modulating role of some socio-demographic factors. Cross-sectional study recruited a random stratified sample from universities. A web-based questionnaire was applied and data were analyzed using SPSS and FACTOR software. A large percentage of the respondents consumes FF regularly, mainly in intermediate meals, despite their poor knowledge about FF. Taste, price, convenience, lack of knowledge on how much to consume, and uncertainty on how to prepare FF are barriers to consumption. Consumers feel the need to eat it, believe in its safety, and have more confidence in the products than those who do not consume them. Benefits are not a motivator for the consumption. Bachelors and women are those that consume more FF in a daily/weekly basis; although age and scientific area did not have impact on the frequency consumption. The findings help national and multinational food companies identify target market segments where introducing FF or increasing existing FF are most likely to succeed. These need to provide consumers with appropriate or relevant health claims, to help them make satisfactory food choices; such as, clear information on labelling, better online marketing strategies, and promotional activities.
{"title":"Functional food consumption by Portuguese university community: Knowledge, barriers and motivators","authors":"P. Moutinho, Inês Andrade, Â. Macêdo","doi":"10.3280/ecag2022oa13258","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2022oa13258","url":null,"abstract":"This study aims to understand the attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions concerning the consumption of Functional Foods (FF) and to analyze the modulating role of some socio-demographic factors. Cross-sectional study recruited a random stratified sample from universities. A web-based questionnaire was applied and data were analyzed using SPSS and FACTOR software. A large percentage of the respondents consumes FF regularly, mainly in intermediate meals, despite their poor knowledge about FF. Taste, price, convenience, lack of knowledge on how much to consume, and uncertainty on how to prepare FF are barriers to consumption. Consumers feel the need to eat it, believe in its safety, and have more confidence in the products than those who do not consume them. Benefits are not a motivator for the consumption. Bachelors and women are those that consume more FF in a daily/weekly basis; although age and scientific area did not have impact on the frequency consumption. The findings help national and multinational food companies identify target market segments where introducing FF or increasing existing FF are most likely to succeed. These need to provide consumers with appropriate or relevant health claims, to help them make satisfactory food choices; such as, clear information on labelling, better online marketing strategies, and promotional activities.","PeriodicalId":37333,"journal":{"name":"Economia Agro-Alimentare","volume":"415 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79426479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Giulia Maesano, M. Hamam, B. Pecorino, G. Pappalardo, M. D’Amico, G. Chinnici
The fresh-cut sector has shown a positive trend in recent years, due to the "ease of use" and the increasing innovation in the quality and safety features of these products. However, in Italy, a negative trend was observed during the lockdown Covid-19. The objective of this study is to investigate consumer preferences for fresh-cut products and to identify the sensory and extrinsic attributes that influence consumer choice. It also examines whether consumer behaviour has changed during the lockdown Covid-19. An online questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 427 consumers. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to identify preferences for specific types of fresh-cut products; then, a factor analysis was conducted to highlight key socioeconomic variables and product attributes. Finally, a cluster analysis was conducted to identify homogeneous consumer groups. The results indicate that some attributes, including "ease of use", "texture" and "colour" show a high level of interest and appreciation by consumers. The outcomes also reveal that there has been a change in consumer attitudes during the lockdown Covid-19, mainly for reasons related to the difficulty in food procurement, the fear of contagion during purchasing occasion, and higher prices. The findings of this research contribute to the knowledge of consumers' behaviour towards fresh-cut products in the period of lockdown Covid-19.
{"title":"Trends in consumers' preferences towards fresh-cut vegetables during the Covid-19 pandemic","authors":"Giulia Maesano, M. Hamam, B. Pecorino, G. Pappalardo, M. D’Amico, G. Chinnici","doi":"10.3280/ecag2022oa13283","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2022oa13283","url":null,"abstract":"The fresh-cut sector has shown a positive trend in recent years, due to the \"ease of use\" and the increasing innovation in the quality and safety features of these products. However, in Italy, a negative trend was observed during the lockdown Covid-19. The objective of this study is to investigate consumer preferences for fresh-cut products and to identify the sensory and extrinsic attributes that influence consumer choice. It also examines whether consumer behaviour has changed during the lockdown Covid-19. An online questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 427 consumers. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to identify preferences for specific types of fresh-cut products; then, a factor analysis was conducted to highlight key socioeconomic variables and product attributes. Finally, a cluster analysis was conducted to identify homogeneous consumer groups. The results indicate that some attributes, including \"ease of use\", \"texture\" and \"colour\" show a high level of interest and appreciation by consumers. The outcomes also reveal that there has been a change in consumer attitudes during the lockdown Covid-19, mainly for reasons related to the difficulty in food procurement, the fear of contagion during purchasing occasion, and higher prices. The findings of this research contribute to the knowledge of consumers' behaviour towards fresh-cut products in the period of lockdown Covid-19.","PeriodicalId":37333,"journal":{"name":"Economia Agro-Alimentare","volume":"80 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75147313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Valentina Maria Merlino, S. Massaglia, Simone Blanc, Filippo Brun, D. Borra
The specialty milk market in Italy has shown positive trends in recent years. Companies, from small producers to market leaders, continue to invest in differentiating their product lines, increasingly orienting their production choices towards specialties linked to sustainability and health benefits. This trend not only meets the needs of consumers, who are increasingly attentive to sustainable and healthy foods, but it also has a significant impact on the production and profitability of milk companies. Thus, this research aims to analyse the composition of specialty cow milk assortments in different large-scale retail (LSR) stores in North-West Italy. The objectives were to define the assortment depth of sustainable and health-focused milk categories, as well as the marketing policies currently applied in the LSR market for such products. Differences in the assortment of seven specialty product categories were evaluated with regard to brands, milk origin and packaging material, using the Correspondence Analysis. Price differences between product categories were analysed using ANOVA and comparing the product brands and the different formats of large-scale retailers. The main results highlight the key characteristics and differences of the specialty milk supply, taking into consideration the main sales channel of this type of product.
{"title":"Differences between Italian specialty milk in large-scale retailing distribution","authors":"Valentina Maria Merlino, S. Massaglia, Simone Blanc, Filippo Brun, D. Borra","doi":"10.3280/ecag2022oa13173","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2022oa13173","url":null,"abstract":"The specialty milk market in Italy has shown positive trends in recent years. Companies, from small producers to market leaders, continue to invest in differentiating their product lines, increasingly orienting their production choices towards specialties linked to sustainability and health benefits. This trend not only meets the needs of consumers, who are increasingly attentive to sustainable and healthy foods, but it also has a significant impact on the production and profitability of milk companies. Thus, this research aims to analyse the composition of specialty cow milk assortments in different large-scale retail (LSR) stores in North-West Italy. The objectives were to define the assortment depth of sustainable and health-focused milk categories, as well as the marketing policies currently applied in the LSR market for such products. Differences in the assortment of seven specialty product categories were evaluated with regard to brands, milk origin and packaging material, using the Correspondence Analysis. Price differences between product categories were analysed using ANOVA and comparing the product brands and the different formats of large-scale retailers. The main results highlight the key characteristics and differences of the specialty milk supply, taking into consideration the main sales channel of this type of product.","PeriodicalId":37333,"journal":{"name":"Economia Agro-Alimentare","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74070528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Brunella Arru, R. Furesi, P. Pulina, Paola Sau, F. Madau
Agriculture and the agri-food industry are central to fostering economic growth and the Sustainable Development Goals' targets. However, to meet the world's future development, it is necessary to make the agri-food system more resource-efficient. The transition towards the circular economy (CE) paradigm is commonly seen as a promising strategy to overcome the critical issues affecting the sector. However, different theoretical and practical problems still need to be solved. Specifically, the CE performance measurement of specific sectors or national systems is crucial as it helps to identify and correct any deviation from the vision set out for achieving the sustainable development objectives. This article aims to contribute to CE research, focusing on European agriculture and the agri-food sector. Drawing on the EE-MRIO database EXIOBASE v3.7, this paper estimates the level of circularity in the European Union countries and the role of agriculture and agri-food in determining circularity. Results showed that circularity in the EU is low and significant differences between countries exist. Agriculture contributes to 80.5% of the entire amount of recycled materials in Europe. Vice versa, the contribution provided by the agri-food sector is limited to 1%. Some policy implications derive from this study.
{"title":"The Circular Economy in the Agri-food system: A Performance Measurement of European Countries","authors":"Brunella Arru, R. Furesi, P. Pulina, Paola Sau, F. Madau","doi":"10.3280/ecag2022oa13245","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2022oa13245","url":null,"abstract":"Agriculture and the agri-food industry are central to fostering economic growth and the Sustainable Development Goals' targets. However, to meet the world's future development, it is necessary to make the agri-food system more resource-efficient. The transition towards the circular economy (CE) paradigm is commonly seen as a promising strategy to overcome the critical issues affecting the sector. However, different theoretical and practical problems still need to be solved. Specifically, the CE performance measurement of specific sectors or national systems is crucial as it helps to identify and correct any deviation from the vision set out for achieving the sustainable development objectives. This article aims to contribute to CE research, focusing on European agriculture and the agri-food sector. Drawing on the EE-MRIO database EXIOBASE v3.7, this paper estimates the level of circularity in the European Union countries and the role of agriculture and agri-food in determining circularity. Results showed that circularity in the EU is low and significant differences between countries exist. Agriculture contributes to 80.5% of the entire amount of recycled materials in Europe. Vice versa, the contribution provided by the agri-food sector is limited to 1%. Some policy implications derive from this study.","PeriodicalId":37333,"journal":{"name":"Economia Agro-Alimentare","volume":"315 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80092281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The purpose of this research is to study transaction costs and their antecedents, in relation to the willingness to buy groceries online in Italy, and to observe the effect of Covid-19 is having in those. The study used a positivist deductive approach to the theory development. To evaluate the relations, we developed a PLS-SEM using SmartPLS version 3.3.3, and tested the model using WarpPLS 7.0. The pandemic's discomforts impact significantly the willingness to buy food online, and it is also a mediator between transaction costs and willingness to buy online. The findings may help those manufacturers struggling with low-performing e-commerce during the Covid-19 pandemic. When restrictions are enforced, manufacturers should take action to reduce the uncertainty associated with online shopping. From the political point of view, it highlights the need for institutional help in organising online supply chains.
{"title":"Does the Covid-19 affect food consumption patterns? A Transaction Cost Perspective","authors":"B. Polenzani, A. Marchini","doi":"10.3280/ecag2022oa13161","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2022oa13161","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this research is to study transaction costs and their antecedents, in relation to the willingness to buy groceries online in Italy, and to observe the effect of Covid-19 is having in those. The study used a positivist deductive approach to the theory development. To evaluate the relations, we developed a PLS-SEM using SmartPLS version 3.3.3, and tested the model using WarpPLS 7.0. The pandemic's discomforts impact significantly the willingness to buy food online, and it is also a mediator between transaction costs and willingness to buy online. The findings may help those manufacturers struggling with low-performing e-commerce during the Covid-19 pandemic. When restrictions are enforced, manufacturers should take action to reduce the uncertainty associated with online shopping. From the political point of view, it highlights the need for institutional help in organising online supply chains.","PeriodicalId":37333,"journal":{"name":"Economia Agro-Alimentare","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78804720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Adeosun, K. Salman, N. Chukwuone, Chukwuma Otum Ume, C. Chukwuone, C. Ezema
Despite fruits and vegetables' importance and nutrient composition, their consumption is still below the world's recommended threshold in Nigeria, even among pregnant women. Therefore, this study examined pregnant women's critical socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. Multistage sampling techniques and a semi-structured questionnaire were employed to collect data from 100 pregnant women from the study area. The descriptive statistics show that the majority (91%) of the respondents belong to the age bracket of 20 to 36 years. Also, most (56%) of the respondents were in their third trimester, while 30% and 14% were in the second and first-trimester, respectively. The study employed descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse the data. The results indicate that Education, Trading, first-trimester, income, and nutrition advice positively influenced expenditure on fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, age, second-trimester, third-trimester, attending ante-natal, and distance from home to market have an inverse relationship with expenditure on fruits and vegetables. Likewise, education, nutrition advice, trading, first-trimester positively influence the frequency of fruits and vegetable consumption. The study recommended that policymakers, government, and NGOs should be focused on the significant socioeconomic factors to encourage fruit and vegetable consumption among pregnant women.
{"title":"Factors Influencing Fruits And Vegetables Consumption among Pregnant Women: Evidence from Enugu State, Nigeria","authors":"K. Adeosun, K. Salman, N. Chukwuone, Chukwuma Otum Ume, C. Chukwuone, C. Ezema","doi":"10.3280/ecag2022oa12293","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2022oa12293","url":null,"abstract":"Despite fruits and vegetables' importance and nutrient composition, their consumption is still below the world's recommended threshold in Nigeria, even among pregnant women. Therefore, this study examined pregnant women's critical socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. Multistage sampling techniques and a semi-structured questionnaire were employed to collect data from 100 pregnant women from the study area. The descriptive statistics show that the majority (91%) of the respondents belong to the age bracket of 20 to 36 years. Also, most (56%) of the respondents were in their third trimester, while 30% and 14% were in the second and first-trimester, respectively. The study employed descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse the data. The results indicate that Education, Trading, first-trimester, income, and nutrition advice positively influenced expenditure on fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, age, second-trimester, third-trimester, attending ante-natal, and distance from home to market have an inverse relationship with expenditure on fruits and vegetables. Likewise, education, nutrition advice, trading, first-trimester positively influence the frequency of fruits and vegetable consumption. The study recommended that policymakers, government, and NGOs should be focused on the significant socioeconomic factors to encourage fruit and vegetable consumption among pregnant women.","PeriodicalId":37333,"journal":{"name":"Economia Agro-Alimentare","volume":"51 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76575819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ahmad Ridha, R. Masbar, Aliasuddin Aliasuddin, Vivi Silvia
This study investigates the asymmetric price transmission (APT) of global cocoa beans and cocoa pasta prices to farm prices. The cocoa pasta variable is a proxy for Indonesian processed cocoa industry products. We use monthly time series data from January 2007 to December 2020. The NARDL model was used to estimate the APT response behavior. The dummy variable (export cocoa bean tax) explains fluctuations in farm prices before and after the policy implementation. The results showed asymmetric cointegration between the global cocoa market and cocoa pasta prices moving towards farm cocoa prices in Indonesia. APT occurs in the short and long term with different significant levels for each variable. The increase (decrease) in the global market and cocoa pasta prices were transmitted asymmetrically in the short and long terms, except for the variable (PA-pos), which is not significant in the long term. We observe strong evidence of negative asymmetric price transmission. Negative price shocks (decreases) in global markets and cocoa pasta are more rapidly transmitted to farmer prices than positive price shocks. Adjustment prices occur in magnitude, speed, and sign. The high coefficient of negative asymmetric price transmission indicates the uncompetitive of Indonesia's supply-demand cocoa chain. At the same time, the cocoa bean export tax harms farm prices. The export tax policy has reduced farm prices by approximately 2.3%.
{"title":"Asymmetric Price Transmission in the Cocoa Supply Chain in Indonesia","authors":"Ahmad Ridha, R. Masbar, Aliasuddin Aliasuddin, Vivi Silvia","doi":"10.3280/ecag2022oa12888","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2022oa12888","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates the asymmetric price transmission (APT) of global cocoa beans and cocoa pasta prices to farm prices. The cocoa pasta variable is a proxy for Indonesian processed cocoa industry products. We use monthly time series data from January 2007 to December 2020. The NARDL model was used to estimate the APT response behavior. The dummy variable (export cocoa bean tax) explains fluctuations in farm prices before and after the policy implementation. The results showed asymmetric cointegration between the global cocoa market and cocoa pasta prices moving towards farm cocoa prices in Indonesia. APT occurs in the short and long term with different significant levels for each variable. The increase (decrease) in the global market and cocoa pasta prices were transmitted asymmetrically in the short and long terms, except for the variable (PA-pos), which is not significant in the long term. We observe strong evidence of negative asymmetric price transmission. Negative price shocks (decreases) in global markets and cocoa pasta are more rapidly transmitted to farmer prices than positive price shocks. Adjustment prices occur in magnitude, speed, and sign. The high coefficient of negative asymmetric price transmission indicates the uncompetitive of Indonesia's supply-demand cocoa chain. At the same time, the cocoa bean export tax harms farm prices. The export tax policy has reduced farm prices by approximately 2.3%.","PeriodicalId":37333,"journal":{"name":"Economia Agro-Alimentare","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89688509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trademarks are useful territorial marketing policies contributing to the economic growth of a certain region. However, the complexity of these strategies from a marketing and legal perspective requires a deeper understanding of the functioning of trademarks. We investigate these dynamics for the trademark "Prodotti di Qualità" (PQ), a territorial marketing initiative of Apulia Region (Italy) aiming at enhancing agri-food products with regulated high-quality standards, raising awareness among consumers and promoting marketing and sales of such products. We adopt a multidisciplinary approach to conduct a prospective analysis of marketing issues and a perspective analysis on legal issues. We conclude that, in face of some benefits for users in terms of reduced asymmetric information between consumers and producers, a stronger communication and promotion campaign would increase consumers' awareness and producers' confidence, also contributing to avoid the overlap of the PQ trademarks with other legal forms of labelling, such as geographical indications and certification trademarks. Policy interventions in this direction would be beneficial for the future development of the Apulian territorial marketing.
商标是一种有益的地域营销政策，有助于某一地区的经济增长。然而，从营销和法律的角度来看，这些策略的复杂性需要对商标的功能有更深入的了解。我们为“Prodotti di qualit”(PQ)商标调查了这些动态，PQ是意大利普利亚大区的一项区域营销计划，旨在通过规范的高质量标准提高农产品的质量，提高消费者的认识，促进此类产品的营销和销售。我们采用多学科方法对市场问题进行前瞻性分析，对法律问题进行前瞻性分析。我们的结论是，在减少消费者和生产者之间的信息不对称方面，面对用户的一些好处，更强有力的沟通和推广活动将提高消费者的意识和生产者的信心，也有助于避免PQ商标与其他合法形式的标签(如地理标志和认证商标)重叠。这方面的政策干预将有利于阿普利亚地域营销的未来发展。
{"title":"Trademarks and Territorial Marketing: Retrospective and Prospective Analyses of the trademark Prodotti di Qualità","authors":"F. Santeramo, R. Manno, M. Tappi, E. Lamonaca","doi":"10.3280/ecag2022oa12860","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2022oa12860","url":null,"abstract":"Trademarks are useful territorial marketing policies contributing to the economic growth of a certain region. However, the complexity of these strategies from a marketing and legal perspective requires a deeper understanding of the functioning of trademarks. We investigate these dynamics for the trademark \"Prodotti di Qualità\" (PQ), a territorial marketing initiative of Apulia Region (Italy) aiming at enhancing agri-food products with regulated high-quality standards, raising awareness among consumers and promoting marketing and sales of such products. We adopt a multidisciplinary approach to conduct a prospective analysis of marketing issues and a perspective analysis on legal issues. We conclude that, in face of some benefits for users in terms of reduced asymmetric information between consumers and producers, a stronger communication and promotion campaign would increase consumers' awareness and producers' confidence, also contributing to avoid the overlap of the PQ trademarks with other legal forms of labelling, such as geographical indications and certification trademarks. Policy interventions in this direction would be beneficial for the future development of the Apulian territorial marketing.","PeriodicalId":37333,"journal":{"name":"Economia Agro-Alimentare","volume":"302 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87669691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
R. Widanage, Catherine Chan, Y. Tsang, B. Sipes, H. Melakeberhan, A. Sánchez-Pérez, Alfredo Mejía-Coroy
Smallholder farmers in the Western Highlands of Guatemala grow potatoes for subsistence and as a cash crop but their current productivity is 29% lower than the world average. The objective of this study is to provide policy recommendations for improving potato productivity through enhancing technical efficiency in smallholder potato farming in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. In doing so, this study examines the determinants of potato productivity and identifies the sources of technical inefficiency in smallholder potato farming. In addition, the study evaluates the economic welfare impact of potato farm operations and provides policy recommendations for increasing smallholder potato productivity through enhancing technical efficiency. Stochastic production frontier analysis showed that on average farmers are at 57% efficiency. Hence, there is a considerable room for improving efficiency in potato farming. The sources of inefficiency of the farmers were determined to be caused by higher elevation, smaller farm size, and location of the farms. Welfare gains from reaching potential efficiency is US$ 8.79 million in terms of producer surplus per year in Guatemala. Hence, this study provides valuable information for policy makers and farmers for improving technical efficiency and producer surplus. Likewise, providing better conservation practices by extension will ameliorate the low productivity associated with higher elevation and locations that are lower in technical efficiency.
{"title":"Enhancing Technical Efficiency and Economic Welfare: A Case Study of Smallholder Potato Farming in the Western Highlands of Guatemala","authors":"R. Widanage, Catherine Chan, Y. Tsang, B. Sipes, H. Melakeberhan, A. Sánchez-Pérez, Alfredo Mejía-Coroy","doi":"10.3280/ecag2022oa13227","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2022oa13227","url":null,"abstract":"Smallholder farmers in the Western Highlands of Guatemala grow potatoes for subsistence and as a cash crop but their current productivity is 29% lower than the world average. The objective of this study is to provide policy recommendations for improving potato productivity through enhancing technical efficiency in smallholder potato farming in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. In doing so, this study examines the determinants of potato productivity and identifies the sources of technical inefficiency in smallholder potato farming. In addition, the study evaluates the economic welfare impact of potato farm operations and provides policy recommendations for increasing smallholder potato productivity through enhancing technical efficiency. Stochastic production frontier analysis showed that on average farmers are at 57% efficiency. Hence, there is a considerable room for improving efficiency in potato farming. The sources of inefficiency of the farmers were determined to be caused by higher elevation, smaller farm size, and location of the farms. Welfare gains from reaching potential efficiency is US$ 8.79 million in terms of producer surplus per year in Guatemala. Hence, this study provides valuable information for policy makers and farmers for improving technical efficiency and producer surplus. Likewise, providing better conservation practices by extension will ameliorate the low productivity associated with higher elevation and locations that are lower in technical efficiency.","PeriodicalId":37333,"journal":{"name":"Economia Agro-Alimentare","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76824663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study investigates the short-term economic impact of a zero-concentrate supplementation in organic dairy production systems with Holstein cows. Based on experimental data and using prices recorded in 2018 in Switzerland, the study calculates the difference in profits between two annual herbage-based feed rations: one supplemented with 750 kg and the other containing 0 kg concentrates per cow and lactation. The cut in concentrates led to a considerable increase in the average culling rate (14.4 percentage points). If it is assumed that the culling rate cannot be lowered by means of breeding or management adjustments, a zero-concentrate supplementation leads to a 375 CHF drop in profit per cow and year, which is equivalent to a 14% decrease in the remuneration of labor input. If the culling rate could be decreased to the status quo, then not feeding concentrates leads to a smaller, non-significant decrease in profits of 141 CHF per cow and year. Overall, it is concluded that there is a short-term trade-off between profitability and a reduction in concentrates. A zero-concentrate supplementation would be economically feasible only if the culling rate can be kept under control, for instance, by using adapted cow breeds. However, high-quality roughage is a prerequisite and may be more difficult to produce in alpine regions with less favorable production conditions.
{"title":"Short-Term Impact of a Zero Concentrate Supplementation on Organic Dairy Production","authors":"D. Hoop, Fredy Schory","doi":"10.3280/ecag2022oa12367","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2022oa12367","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates the short-term economic impact of a zero-concentrate supplementation in organic dairy production systems with Holstein cows. Based on experimental data and using prices recorded in 2018 in Switzerland, the study calculates the difference in profits between two annual herbage-based feed rations: one supplemented with 750 kg and the other containing 0 kg concentrates per cow and lactation. The cut in concentrates led to a considerable increase in the average culling rate (14.4 percentage points). If it is assumed that the culling rate cannot be lowered by means of breeding or management adjustments, a zero-concentrate supplementation leads to a 375 CHF drop in profit per cow and year, which is equivalent to a 14% decrease in the remuneration of labor input. If the culling rate could be decreased to the status quo, then not feeding concentrates leads to a smaller, non-significant decrease in profits of 141 CHF per cow and year. Overall, it is concluded that there is a short-term trade-off between profitability and a reduction in concentrates. A zero-concentrate supplementation would be economically feasible only if the culling rate can be kept under control, for instance, by using adapted cow breeds. However, high-quality roughage is a prerequisite and may be more difficult to produce in alpine regions with less favorable production conditions.","PeriodicalId":37333,"journal":{"name":"Economia Agro-Alimentare","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78594664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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