A.R. Koocheki; M. Ghorbani; H. Mansori; M. Rajabzadeh
Abstract
Introduction: Food consumption patterns are changing as a result of health and environmental issues. Subsequently, farmers are under increasing pressure to develop and utilize less toxic production methods and pest control. Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ...
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Introduction: Food consumption patterns are changing as a result of health and environmental issues. Subsequently, farmers are under increasing pressure to develop and utilize less toxic production methods and pest control. Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved. In general, no chemicals are used on organic farms. These materials are disregarded in soil preparation, plant nutrition’s, storage, processing, and sale. In other words, organic agriculture is a kind of farming, which aims to established an integrated agriculture system which has no interference with environmental and economic benefits. Therefore, organic agriculture is the sustainable system of food production. Diverse climate and crops and animal in Iran have created potentials for the establishment and development of organic farming. However, on the production side, many farmers still hesitate to adopt organic farming due to the lack of information on market demand and the profitability of organic farming. In other words, despite benefits for this type of production in recent years development of markets requires analysis and understanding behavior pattern of consumers fruits and vegetable are very important as far as production and consumption are concerned. Based on the reports from FAO fruit production in Iran in the year 2010 were 3.5 million tons and vegetable production was 16.351 million tons. There have been a considerable number of studies on organic consumers in many countries, especially in Europe and other western countries and many studies have found a variety of factors that can potentially influence organic food consumption. Consumer behavior involves a complex and sophisticated pattern that requires marketing research in order to understand the process. The basic idea behind consumer research is the questioning of consumers about their reasons for buying, however, researchers have to go deeper and also ask people how and in which circumstances they purchase and consume. Consumer behavior consists of ideas, feelings, experiences and actions, along with additional environmental factors like advertisements and price. The major goal of this study was to model components influencing consumer’s preferences of organics fruits and vegetables in Mashhad and to provide information that is needed for the organic food industry to expand its market and improve its profitability
Materials and Methods: This study examines components influencing consumer’s preferences of organics fruits and vegetables using a multivariate probit model with seemingly unrelated equation. Application of multivariate probit model is normally used when two related decisions are decided upon by a decision maker or different decision makers. The model is based on this assumption that two decisions (in this study: the willingness to pay for organic fruit and for organic vegetables) have an interactive correlation. Simple random sampling was applied and total observation of 200 was selected. The data were collected by completing the questionnaire in (2012) throughout Mashhad residents. The software used for the estimation multivariate probit model was Sata 12.
Results: The results showed that the education level of consumers, information about the supply of organic product in Mashhad, the importance of product appearance and importance of nutrition value are variables which have a significant effect on the simultaneous probability of willingness to pay for organic fruits and vegetables. Regarding the results, attention to the promotion of product appearance, increasing the nutrition content and accessibility to the product in the market to consumers are advised. Conclusion: In this study, willingness to pay higher prices for organic fruits and vegetables was examined. Due to budgetary constraints and prioritization of households to buy organic fruits or vegetables and considering the potential impact of demand for organic products on demand for other products, multivariate probit (SUR_PROBIT) was used.
M. Jamalipour; M. Ghorbani; A.R. Koocheki
Abstract
Introduction: Human life on earth depends on temperature range control due to the effects of greenhouse gases. Earth atmosphere plays an important role to prevent the decrease of temperature. One of the principal factors of environmental pollution and the main source of earth climate and biodiversity ...
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Introduction: Human life on earth depends on temperature range control due to the effects of greenhouse gases. Earth atmosphere plays an important role to prevent the decrease of temperature. One of the principal factors of environmental pollution and the main source of earth climate and biodiversity changes is greenhouse gas emissions from various sources, particularly agricultural sector. Agriculture sector is a major source of greenhouse gas sequestration, including methane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and nitric oxide. One of the most important sub-sector of agriculture that produce greenhouse gases is agronomy. Nitrous oxide is one of the most important greenhouse gas and agriculture is the largest source. About 70 percent of N2O emitted into the atmosphere from soil, obtained from biomass. The total cultivation of oilseeds i.e. soybean, canola, corn for grain and other oilseeds, is equal to 534,132 hectares.
Materials and Methods: In this study to measure emissions of CO2 and N2O, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Model (GHGEM) was used. This model was employed to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from activities directly and indirectly related to agriculture production and the effects of mitigation measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To estimate the total production of N2O and CO2 in the agricultural ecosystem, 2011-12 crop year data reported by the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture has been used. In addition, the provinces divided into different classes based on the scale of production and emissions and their condition through means comparison test was examined.
Results and Discussion: The total amount of N2O and CO2 emissions from cereal crops including soybean, canola, corn for grain and other oilseeds was estimated. Khuzestan and Zanjan provinces, with an annual production 341.49 and 0.004 ton of N2O emission are the highest and lowest N2O producers, respectively. In addition, the Golestan and Hormozgan provinces respectively, with an annual production 7841.47 and 0.24 ton of CO2 have the highest and lowest annual production of CO2 emissions. Based on the results, Khuzestan province has the largest share of emissions from oilseeds. In other words, this province has about 26 percent of N2O and 24 percent of CO2 emissions. Total of N2O and CO2 emissions from the Iran’s oilseeds farms, was estimated equivalent 1330 and 32170 ton, respectively. However, Khuzestan with production equal 8183 tons of N2O and CO2 is the largest producers of greenhouse gas N2O and CO2 in Iran. Khuzestan province has the most environmental costs caused by N2O and CO2 emissions. The environmental cost of N2O and CO2 release in this province was estimated, approximately 16000 and 36290 US$ (or 0.552 and 1.252 billion rials), respectively. In other words, the Khuzestan province has the largest share of creation this pollution, with a share of about 25 percent of greenhouse gas emissions under review, caused by the production of such pollutants. Minimum environmental costs of N2O and CO2 emissions are to the Zanjan province. Total environmental costs of N2O and CO2 emissions was estimated about 211,333 US$ (7.291 billion rials).
Discussion: In this study, according to the agricultural activities diversity and greenhouse gas emission of these activities, it estimated the greenhouse gas emission CO2 and N2O from the oilseeds farms i.e. soybean, canola, corn for grain and other oilseeds, under the crop production. Results showed that the most important factor of N2O and CO2 emissions of the crops production activities is crops cultivation. However, due to the influence of variables such as the use of nitrogen fertilizers, crops residue remaining of products on the farms and annual fallow of N2O and CO2 emissions in production of oilseeds, using the modern farm management strategies, management and increase the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers that use on the farms and development the emission reduction policies such as carbon sequestration was proposed to the decision makers. Cultivation of oilseeds is the main source of greenhouse gas of N2O and CO2 emissions, environment tax of greenhouse gas emission on level of production in compensation environmental costs due to the release of such pollutants can be useful.
M. Ghorbani; A.R. Koocheki; M. Rajabzadeh; H. Mansori
Abstract
The chemical inputs threat the health of water, soil and organisms. Thus, it is essential to encourage farmers to produce products with minimum use of chemical inputs. Using the ordered logit model and a cross sectional data of 186 producers in 2012, this study attempted at investigating influential ...
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The chemical inputs threat the health of water, soil and organisms. Thus, it is essential to encourage farmers to produce products with minimum use of chemical inputs. Using the ordered logit model and a cross sectional data of 186 producers in 2012, this study attempted at investigating influential factors on willingness to accept (WTA) of Khorasan Razavi province farmers to produce greenhouse organic Cucumber (GOC) than the traditional product. The results showed that over 80 percent of farmers believe that the price of organic product should be at least 10 percent more than the traditional product price. Moreover, the relationship between WTA for producing GOC and some factors including cultivated area, applying advices from agricultural advisors, product insurance, average current yield of traditional Cucumber and acknowledge about international market of organic product is positive and significant. Considering the results, developing training and extension programs on the use of organic product, granting financial facilities and awards to organic product producers and insurance adjustment to reduce risk and increase agricultural production are recommended.
A.R. Koocheki; H. Mansori; M. Ghorbani; M. Rajabzadeh
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effective variables on consumers’ willingness to use organic products, as the final component of the food chain from production to consumption,. Data was collected by questionnaire from 200 consumers in Mashhad county and the discriminate analysis was ...
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The purpose of this study was to determine the effective variables on consumers’ willingness to use organic products, as the final component of the food chain from production to consumption,. Data was collected by questionnaire from 200 consumers in Mashhad county and the discriminate analysis was used to find out the most imprtant factors to distinguish between two groups: the ”consumers with willingness to consume” and the opposite group.Results indicated that “consumer’s awarness of the nutritive value of organic products” was the most important factor on raising a consumer’s tendency to buy organic products. Therefore, raising public awareness about the nutritive value of organic products develops and improves this sector as well as the consumption of safe foods.
E. Shokri; M. Ghorbani; A.R. Koocheki; Sh. Danesh
Abstract
AbstractIn this study, effect of insurance on chemical inputs utilization (environmental effects of insurance) is surveyed. Data of this research collected by using stratified random sampling method and interview with 150 wheat producers (insured and non-insured) of North Khorasan province in 2004. Results ...
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AbstractIn this study, effect of insurance on chemical inputs utilization (environmental effects of insurance) is surveyed. Data of this research collected by using stratified random sampling method and interview with 150 wheat producers (insured and non-insured) of North Khorasan province in 2004. Results showed that education, size of family, farm ownership, land fragmentation, participation in extension classes, land cultivated and risk aversion have positive effect and age of farmer and premium receipts have negative effect on insurance demand. Probability of insurance adoption by wheat producers causes decreasing of poison and chemical fertilizer and so increasing of environmental benefits. Regard to results, attempt for insurance coverage all wheat farmers, training on chemical inputs utilization and targeting of target groups orientated to insurance suggestied.
