Consumers Willing to Pay for Freshwater-Grown Vegetables in District Faisalabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Due to the scarcity of freshwater supplies, farmers have increasingly turned to wastewater for irrigation to grow crops. However, this practice poses risks as vegetables grown with wastewater may contain toxins and heavy metals that are harmful to human health, soil quality, and groundwater resources. Consequently, these vegetables can cause diseases, while freshwater-grown vegetables are more expensive due to the scarcity of water. This paper focuses on exploring consumers' willingness to pay for vegetables grown in freshwater and investigates factors such as age, income, education, bid price, risk perception, and health risk perception that influence their willingness to pay a premium price for these vegetables. The study was conducted in Faisalabad city, where 130 vegetable consumers were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The findings indicate that consumers highly value their health and are willing to pay a premium price for safe and healthy vegetables. This highlights the need for businesses and policymakers to meet the demand for safe vegetables by providing a consistent and reliable supply of treated water to farmers and educating them on the proper use of agrochemicals to mitigate health risks. Policymakers and other stakeholders can play a role in supporting vegetable farmers with these resources. This creates an opportunity for investors to establish businesses that meet the demand for safe and healthy vegetables in Faisalabad.