Yield and Profitability of Crop Production in Mountain Less Favoured Areas

Kazimierz Klima,Angelika Kliszcz,Joanna Puła,Andrzej Lepiarczyk

doi:10.3390/agronomy10050700

Kazimierz Klima, Angelika Kliszcz + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050700

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Journal: Agronomy	Publication Date: May 14, 2020
Citations: 15	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Agriculture in Krakow

Abstract

Agricultural production is a crucial part of policy issue in preventing depopulation of mountainous areas across Europe. However, soil and climate conditions are limiting yields and profitability of crop production in these regions. The European Union (EU) subsidizes agriculture in mountains by special payments (Less Favoured Area (LFA) subsidy) when areas match law-specified natural handicaps. This study aims to assess whether LFA subsidy in Poland is sufficient to cover losses caused by lower yields of crops cultivated in a mountainous region of Poland (Low Beskid Mountains in Carpathians) compared to lowland regions (non-LFA areas). The results indicated that LFA subsidy was adequate for crops (facultative wheat, winter wheat, field bean and spring barley) grown in the years 2015–2018.

Highlights

The effects of agricultural production are influenced by natural, organisational and economic factors
Unfavourable climatic and soil conditions occurring in the LFA area resulted in lower yields of cereal grain, on average by 0.56 t·ha−1 (13.2%), and field bean seeds by 0.36 t·ha−1 (11.2%)
Low susceptibility of facultative wheat to cultivation in less favourable climate and soil conditions indicated the usefulness of this cereal for cultivation in mountain LFAs, instead of winter wheat, which exhibited the greatest yield reduction there

Summary

Introduction

The effects of agricultural production are influenced by natural, organisational and economic factors. According to Witek [4], average cereal yields obtained in class VI soil conditions were on average three times smaller than on class I soils. These lands usually occur in areas with natural or other special handicaps (defined as Less Favoured Area (LFA)). Szabo and Grznár [11] pointed out that farms in Slovakia from mountain LFA areas in 2012 gained an economic advantage (they were more profitable due to higher rainfall) compared to farms outside LFA, which were affected by the drought at that time.

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