PROFITABILITY OF ORGANIC FARMING OF SPELT IN THE CLIMATE CONDITIONS OF SERBIA

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59267/ekoPolj240199D

Keywords:

spelt, organic farming, profitability, climate change, Serbia

Abstract

This research focuses on assessing the general profitability of organically produced spelt. Spelt is an ancient grain that has experienced a resurgence in Serbia in the late seventies of the previous century, due to its exceptional nutritional value and high compatibility with organic farming. Field experiments were conducted in northern Serbia over four years, applying further financial analysis. The main goal of the research is to identify and quantify the costs, benefits, and general profitability of organic production of spelt in the climatic conditions of Serbia. Results indicate that organically produced spelt is economically profitable, primarily due to its significantly higher market price compared to conventionally produced spelt. Given climate change concerns, promoting the cultivation of climateresilient crops, like spelt, becomes crucial. Organic spelt cultivation could play a significant role in adapting crops to climate change, emphasizing the need for activities that mitigate negative environmental impacts.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Allen, R., Pereira, L., Raes, D., & Smith, M. (1998). Crop evapotranspiration. Guidelines for computing crop water requirements. FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper, no. 56, FAO, Rome, Italy, retrieved at: https://appgeodb.nancy.inra.fr/biljou/pdf/Allen_FAO1998.pdf, 23rd November 2023.

Biel, W., Stankowski, S., Jaroszewska, A., Pużyński, S., & Bośko, P. (2016). The influence of selected agronomic factors on the chemical composition of spelt wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta L.) grain. Journal of integrative agriculture, 15(8), 1763-1769, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(15)61211-4

Bio Farma (2023). Data related to organic spelt production. Internal data gained upon request, Bio Farma doo, Ada, Serbia.

Bonacci, O. (2019). Air temperature and precipitation analyses on a small Mediterranean island: The case of the remote island of Lastovo (Adriatic sea, Croatia). Acta Hydrotechnica, 32(57), 135-150, doi: https://doi.org/10.15292/acta.hydro.2019.10.

Campbell, K. (2010). Spelt: Agronomy, genetics, and breeding. Plant Breed Reviews, 15, 187-213.

CEKOS IN. (2023). Indeksi potrošačkih cena u Srbiji - 2023. godina [In English: Business entity for publishing activities and economic consulting Ltd., CEKOS IN. (2023). Consumer Price Indices in 2023]. Retrieved from: http://www.cekos.rs/indeksi-potrošačkih-cena-u-2023-godini, (February, 5 2023).

Chetrariu, A., & Dabija, A. (2021). Quality characteristics of spelt pasta enriched with spent grain. Agronomy, 11(9), 1824, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11091824

Cristache, S., Vuță, M., Marin, E., Cioacă, S., & Vuţă, M. (2018). Organic versus conventional farming: A paradigm for the sustainable development of the European countries. Sustainability, 10, 4279, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su10114279.

Daničić, M., Pejić, B., Mačkić, K., Lalić, B., Maksimović, I., & Putnik Delić, M. (2021). The predicted impact of climate change on maize production in Northern Serbia. Maydica, 65(3), 1-10.

De Ponti, T., Rijk, B., & Van Ittersum, K. (2012). The crop yield gap between organic and conventional agriculture. Agricultural Systems, 108, 1-9, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2011.12.004.

Deng, X. P., Shan, L., Inanaga, S., & Inoue, M. (2005). Water‐saving approaches for improving wheat production. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 85(8), 1379-1388, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.2101

Djekic, I., Kovačević, D., & Dolijanović, Ž. (2021). Impact of climate change on crop production in Serbia. In: Filho, W., Luetz, J., Ayal, D. (eds.) Handbook of Climate Change Management: Research, Leadership, Transformation, Springer International Publishing, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 779-796.

Dorval, I., Vanasse, A., Pageau, D., & Dion, Y. (2015). Seeding rate and cultivar effects on yield, yield components and grain quality of spring spelt in eastern Canada. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 95(5), 841-849, doi: https://doi.org/10.4141/cjps-2014-439.

Đuričin, S., Beraha, I., & Bodroža, D. (2018). Alternatives for exiting the loss zone for mediumsized agricultural enterprises in the Republic of Serbia. Economics of Agriculture, 65(1), 391-411, doi: 10.5937/ekoPolj1801391D.

Escarnot, E., Jacquemin, J., Agneessens, R., & Paquot, M. (2012). Comparative study of the content and profiles of macronutrients in spelt and wheat, a review. Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Societe et Environnement, 16(2), 243-256.

Fayt, J., Dotreppe, O., Hornick, J., & Istasse, L. (2008). Spelt, an ancient cereal and first pressure linseed oil as ingredients of compound feedstuffs for modern horse feeding. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition, 92(3), 303-309, doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0396.2007.00772.x

Frakolaki, G., Giannou, V., Topakas, E., & Tzia, C. (2018). Chemical characterization and breadmaking potential of spelt versus wheat flour. Journal of Cereal Science, 79, 50-56, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2017.08.023.

Gabriel, D., Sait, S., Kunin, W., & Benton, T. (2013). Food production vs. biodiversity: Comparing organic and conventional agriculture. Journal of Applied Ecology, 50(2), 355-364, doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12035.

Gocic, M., & Amiri, M. (2023). Analysis of Spatial Variability and Patterns of Drought: A Case Study for Serbia. In: Singh et al. (eds.) Integrated Drought Management – vol. 2, pp. 31-42, CRC Press, Boca Raton, USA.

Golijan, J., Kolarić, L., Popović, A., & Živanović, L. (2019). Proizvodnja organskog krupnika (Triticum spelta L.) u Srbiji. Selekcija i semenarstvo, 25(1), 23-32, doi: 10.5937/SelSem1901023G.

Gomiero, T., Pimentel, D., & Paoletti, M. (2011). Environmental Impact of Different Agricultural Management Practices: Conventional vs. Organic Agriculture. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences, 30(1-2), 95-124, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07352689.2011.554355.

Huertas García, A., Tabbita, F., Alvarez, J., Sillero, J., Ibba, M., Rakszegi, M., & Guzmán, C. (2023). Genetic variability for grain components related to nutritional quality in spelt and common wheat. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 71(28), 10598-10606, doi: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.3c02365

Iglesias, A., Garrote, L., Quiroga, S., & Moneo, M. (2012). A regional comparison of the effects of climate change on agricultural crops in Europe. Climatic Change, 112, 29-46, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-011-0338-8.

Iizumi, T., & Wagai, R. (2019). Leveraging drought risk reduction for sustainable food, soil and climate via soil organic carbon sequestration. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 19744, doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-55835-y.

Jablonskytė Raščė, D., Maikštėnienė, S., & Mankevičienė, A. (2013). Evaluation of productivity and quality of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spelt (Triticum spelta L.) in relation to nutrition conditions. Zemdirbyste-Agriculture, 100(1), 45-56, doi: 10.13080/z-a.2013.100.007.

Jankovic, S., Ikanovic, J., Popovic, V., Rakic, S., Pavlovic, S., Ugrenovic, V., Simic, D., Doncic, D. (2015). Morphological and Productive Traits of Spelt Wheat (Triticum spelta L.), Agriculture & Forestry, 61(2), 173-182, doi: 10.17707/ AgricultForest.61.2.15.

Jeločnik, M., Subić, J., & Nastić, L. (2021). Upravljanje troškovima na poljoprivrednim gazdinstvima (Cost management at the agricultural holdings). Institute of agricultural economics, Belgrade, Serbia.

Jeločnik, M., Zubović, J., & Zdravković, A. (2019). Estimating impact of weather factors on wheat yields by using panel model approach: The case of Serbia. Agricultural water management, 221, 493-501, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.05.015.

Jovanovic, Z., & Stikic, R. (2012). Strategies for improving water productivity and quality of agricultural crops in an era of climate change. In: Lee, T. (edt.) Irrigation systems and practices in challenging environments, IntechOpen, Rijeka, Croatia, pp. 77-102.

Kendall, C., DeJonge, A., & Kaleita, K. (2007). Simulating the effect of spatially variable irrigation on corn yield, costs, and revenue in Iowa. Agricultural Water Management, 92(1-2), 99-109, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2007.05.008.

Kiš, D., Kalambura, S., Marić, S., Guberac, V., Jovičić, N., Guberac, S., & Slipčević, D. (2016). Spelt (Triticum spelta L.): Healthy food. Works of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Sarajevo, 61(66/1), 156-159.

Kolankowska, E., Choszcz, D., & Furyk Grabowska, K. (2023). An Analysis of the Spelt Dehulling Process in a Cylinder Separator. Agricultural Engineering, 27(1), 349-365, doi: 10.2478/agriceng-2023-0025.

Konvalina, P., Stehno, Y., & Moudrý, J. (2009). The critical point of conventionally bred soft wheat varieties in organic farming systems. Agronomy Research, 7(2), 801-810.

Kovačević, V. (2021). Analysis of current state and limiting factors for the development of organic sector in Serbia. Western Balkan Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, 3(1), 23-33, doi: 10.5937/WBJAE2101023K.

Krahl, M., Zarnkow, M., Back, W., & Becker, T. (2010). Determination of the influence of malting parameters on the water-extractable arabinoxylan content of wheat (Triticum aestivum), rye (Secale cereale), and spelt wheat (Triticum aestivum spp. spelta). Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, 68(1), 34-40, doi: https://doi.org/10.1094/ASBCJ-2009-1126-01

Kresovic, B., Matovic, G., Gregoric. E., Djuricin, S., & Bodroza, D. (2014). Irrigation as a climate change impact mitigation measure: Agronomic and economic assessment of maize production in Serbia. Agricultural Water Management, 139, 7-16, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2014.03.006.

Lammerts van Bueren, E., Jones, S., Tamm, L., Murphy, K., Myers, J., Leifert, C., & Messmer, M. (2011). The need to breed crop varieties suitable for organic farming, using wheat, tomato and broccoli as examples: A review. NJAS: Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 58(3-4), 193-205, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2010.04.001.

Lazarević, T., Petrović, T., Todorović, G., Sečanski, M., Golijan Pantović, J., & Lekić, S. (2022). Seed Vigour of Spelt Produced at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje. Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 67(4), 355-366, doi: https://doi.org/10.2298/JAS2204355L.

Matović, G., Gregorić, E., & Glamčlija, Đ. (2013). Crop production and drought in Serbia in light of climate change. In: Redzepagic, S., Simoes, M. (eds.) Agriculture in Serbia and Portugal: Recent Developments and Economic Policy Implications, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal, pp. 264-286.

McBride, D., Greene, C., Foreman, L., & Ali, M. (2015). The Profit Potential of Certified Organic Field Crop Production. Economic Research Report, no. 188, Economic Research Service, USDA, Washington, USA, retrieved at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/1875181/err188.pdf, 11th November 2023.

Medović, A., Marjanović Jeromela, A., & Mikić, A. (2021). An update to the La Tène plant economy in northern Serbia. Ratarstvo i povrtarstvo, 58(2), 53-65, doi: 10.5937/ratpov58-33250.

Milošević, D., Savić, S., Stojanović, V., & Popov Raljić, J. (2015). Effects of precipitation and temperatures on crop yield variability in Vojvodina (Serbia). Italian Journal of agrometeorology, 20(3), 35-46.

Moudrý, J., Konvalina, P., Stehno, Z., Capouchová, I., & Jan Moudrý, JrJ. (2011). Ancient wheat species can extend biodiversity of cultivated crops. Scientific Research and Essay, 6(20), 4273-4280.

Munoz Insa, A., Gastl, M., & Becker, T. (2016). Variation of sunstruck flavorrelated substances in malted barley, triticale and spelt. European Food Research and Technology, 242, 11-23, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-015-2513-z

Novković, N., Filipović, J., Vukelić, N., Filipović, V., Vučurović, V., & Ivanišević, D. (2020). Economic and health aspects of spelt production and processing in AP Vojvodina. Ekonomija: Teorija i praksa, 13(1), 62-74, doi: 10.5937/etp2001062N.

NSS (2023). Nirvana. Portal of NS Seme doo (NSS), Novi Sad, Serbia, retrieved at: https://nsseme.com/aktuelno/saveti-strucnjaka/nirvana-sorta-spelta-psenicepogodna-za-gajenje-organskoj-proizvodnji/, 15th November 2023.

Ortiz, N., Armada, E., Duque, E., Roldán, A., & Azcón, R. (2015). Contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and/or bacteria to enhancing plant drought tolerance under natural soil conditions: effectiveness of autochthonous or allochthonous strains. Journal of plant physiology, 174, 87-96, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2014.08.019.

Pecelj, M., Lukić, M., Filipović, D., Protić, B., & Bogdanović, U. (2020). Analysis of the Universal Thermal Climate Index during heat waves in Serbia. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 20(7), 2021-2036, doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-20-2021-2020.

Pospisil, S., Pospisil, A., Svecnjak, M., & Matotan, Z. (2012). Influence of crop management upon the agronomic traits of spelt (Triticum spelta L.). Plant, soil and environment, 57(9), 435-440.

Rakszegi, M., Tóth, V., & Mikó, P. (2023). The place of spelt wheat among plant protein sources. Journal of Cereal Science, 114, 103813, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2023.103813

Ranhotra, G., Gelroth, J., Glaser, B., & Lorenz, K. (1995). Baking and nutritional qualities of a spelt wheat sample. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 28(1), 118- 122, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0023-6438(95)80022-0

Rawat, L., Bisht, T., & Naithani, D. (2021). Plant disease management in organic farming system: Strategies and challenges. In: Singh, K., Jahagirdar, S., Sarma, B. (eds.) Emerging Trends in Plant Pathology, Springer, Singapore, pp. 611-642, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6275-4_27.

RHSS (2023). Hydrometeorological parameters from weather station Palić for observed period. Data upon request, Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia (RHSS), Belgrade, Serbia.

Riedel, A., Pieper, L., Lautner, M., Leiding, C., Jung, M., & Schulze, M. (2023). Comparison of deep-litter bedding materials and analysis of semen traits in Piétrain boars: A randomized controlled field study. Animal Reproduction Science, 259, 107379, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2023.107379

Ruiz Menjivar, J., Gillen, M., & Gutter, M. (2015). Time Value of Money. In: Chaffin, C. (edt.) Financial Planning Competency Handbook, Wiley, New Jersey, USA, pp. 97-105, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119642473.ch11

Simin, M., Trbić, D., Petrović, M., & Komaromi, B. (2019). Prices of organic products in the Republic of Serbia. Western Balkan Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, 1(2), 93-100, doi: 10.5937/WBJAE1902093T.

Singh, I., & Grover, D. (2011). Economic Viability of Organic Farming: An Empirical Experience of Wheat Cultivation in Punjab. Agricultural Economics Research Review, 24(2), 275-281.

Sinkovič, L., Rakszegi, M., Pipan, B., & Meglič, V. (2023). Compositional Traits of Grains and Groats of Barley, Oat and Spelt Grown at Organic and Conventional Fields. Foods, 12(5), 1054, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12051054

Sinkovic, L., Tóth, V., Rakszegi, M., & Pipan, B. (2023). Elemental composition and nutritional characteristics of spelt flours and wholemeals. Journal of Elementology, 28(1), 27-39, doi: 10.5601/jelem.2022.27.4.2358.

Smith, L., Williams, A., & Pearce, B. (2015). The energy efficiency of organic agriculture: A review. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 30(3), 280-301, doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170513000471.

Subić, J., Jeločnik, M., Kovačević, V., Grujić Vučkovski, B. (2022). Estimation of Economic Effects of Processing of Organic Products in the case of Family Farms. In: Gostin et al. (eds.) Course for trainers: Entrepreneurial innovation in agri-food science. Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania, Institute of Agricultural Economy, Belgrade, pp. 175-195.

Subić, J., Jeločnik, M., Nastić, L., Vasile, J. (2021). Economic Effects of Plum Plantation Establishment. In: Subic et al. (eds.) Sustainable agriculture and rural development, Institute of Agricultural Economics, Belgrade, Serbia, pp. 149-162.

Sulewska, H., Koziara, W., Panasiewicz, K., & Ptaszyńska, G. (2008). Yielding of two spelt varieties depending on sowing date and sowing rate in central Wielkopolska conditions. Journal of Research and Applications Agricultural Engineering, 53(4), 85-91.

Takač, V., Viola T., Marianna R., Péter M., Mikić, S., & Mirosavljević, M. (2022). The Influence of Farming Systems, Genotype and Their Interaction on Bioactive Compound, Protein and Starch Content of Bread and Spelt Wheat. Foods, 11(24), 4028, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11244028.

Troccoli, A., & Codianni, P. (2005). Appropriate seeding rate for einkorn, emmer, and spelt grown under rainfed condition in southern Italy. European Journal of Agronomy, 22(3), 293-300, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2004.04.003.

Vojnov, B., Manojlovic, M., Latkovic, D., Milosev, D., Dolijanovic, Ž., Simic, M., Babec, B., & Seremesic, S. (2020). Grain yield, yield components and protein content of organic spelt wheat (Triticum speltaL.) grown in different agroecological conditions of northern Serbia. Ratarstvo i povrtarstvo, 57(1), 1-7, doi: 10.5937/ratpov57-23867.

Vojnov, B., Manojlović, M., Latković, D., Milošev, D., Dolijanović, T., Simić, M., Babec, B., & Šeremešić, S. (2020). Grain yield, yield components and protein content of organic spelt wheat (Triticum spelta L.) grown in different agroecological conditions of northern Serbia. Ratarstvo & Povrtarstvo, 57(1), 1-7, doi: 10.5937/ratpov57-23867.

Wang, J., Baranski, M., Korkut, R., Kalee, H., Wood, L., Bilsborrow, P., & Volakakis, N. (2021). Performance of modern and traditional spelt wheat (Triticum spelta) varieties in rain-fed and irrigated, organic and conventional production systems in a semi-arid environment: Results from exploratory field experiments in Crete, Greece. Agronomy, 11(5), 890, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050890.

Wells, A., Chan, K., & Cornish, P. (2000). Comparison of conventional and alternative vegetable farming systems on the properties of a yellow earth in New South Wales. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 80(1-2), 47-60, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-8809(00)00133-X.

Wójtowicz, A., Oniszczuk, A., Kasprzak, K., Olech, M., Mitrus, M., & Oniszczuk, T. (2020). Chemical composition and selected quality characteristics of new types of precooked wheat and spelt pasta products. Food Chemistry, 309, 125673, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125673.

Wójtowicz, A., Oniszczuk, A., Kasprzak, K., Olech, M., Mitrus, M., & Oniszczuk, T. (2020). Chemical composition and selected quality characteristics of new types of precooked wheat and spelt pasta products. Food chemistry, 309, 125673, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125673.

Yasin, A., Ashfaq, M., Adil, A., & Bakhsh, K. (2014). Profit efficiency of organic vs conventional wheat production in rice-wheat zone of Punjab, Pakistan. Journal of Agricultural Research, 52(3), 439-452.

Yonkova, G., Gancheva, A., & Kazalov, V. (2016). Comparative Characteristics Between Cultures: Common Wheat, Einkorn and Spelt. New Knowledge Journal of Science, 5(3), 38-42.

Zubović, J., Jeločnik, M., Zdravković, A., Subić, J., & Radovanović, S. (2018). Using Spatial and Seasonal Panel Model to Determine Impact of Climatic Factors on Maize Yields in Serbia. Romanian biotechnological letters, 23(2), 13383-13393.

Zuk Golaszewska, K., Majewska, K., Tyburski, J., & Golaszewski, J. (2022). Nutritional properties of organic spelt wheats in different growth stages and the resulting flours. Journal of Elementology, 27(3), 645-662, doi: 10.5601/ jelem.2022.27.1.2267.

Downloads

Published

2024-03-31

How to Cite

Đuričin, S., Gregoric, E., Savić, S. ., Matović, G., & Jovanović, O. . (2024). PROFITABILITY OF ORGANIC FARMING OF SPELT IN THE CLIMATE CONDITIONS OF SERBIA . Ekonomika Poljoprivrede, 71(1), 99–119. https://doi.org/10.59267/ekoPolj240199D

Issue

Section

Original scientific papers

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.