HUMAN LABOR CONSUMPTION AND LABOR COSTS FOR APPLE PRODUCTION AT ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONALLY MANAGED FARMS

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Published:
Oct 2, 2014
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Vol. 101 No. 3 (2014)
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Piotr Brzozowski
Instytut Sadownictwa i Kwiaciarstwa w Skierniewicach
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4381-7080
Krzysztof Zmarlicki
Pracownia Ekonomiki i Statystyki Instytutu Ogrodnictwa w Skierniewicach
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1816-7592

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22630/RNR.2014.101.3.30
Keywords : apples, organic products, labor inputs
Abstract
The inputs of human labour for organic fruit production of apples and the consecutive production costs were evaluated and compared with conventional production for those fruits. The basis of research were data from twenty commercial fruit farms, twelve farms with conventional and eight with organic production. The re­search was conducted in the years 2009-2013. The apple yields for organic farms were two times lower than for conventional ones. The inputs of human labour per 1 ha were 12.1 % higher in the organic production of apples than in conventional one. The technical efficiency of labour was 87 kg of apples per 1 hour for the conventional system and only 39 kg per 1 hour for the organic one. The structure of labour inputs was quite different in both systems. In conventional production harvesting accounted for more than 70% of total labour inputs in orchards, in organic about 35%. Weed control and soil cultivation had almost the same share, accounting for over 30% of the total amount of labour inputs. The costs of human labor in orchards were higher for organic production, both on hectare and unit (kg) bases. The development of new machines and technical devices are necessary to reduce the high amount of human labour in Polish organic apple production and as a consequence, make it more profitable

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How to Cite
Brzozowski, P., & Zmarlicki, K. (2014). HUMAN LABOR CONSUMPTION AND LABOR COSTS FOR APPLE PRODUCTION AT ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONALLY MANAGED FARMS. Annals of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, 101(3), 36–42. https://doi.org/10.22630/RNR.2014.101.3.30
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