Niche Products Research Articles

Marketing support of competitiveness of agricultural enterprises

The article examines the system of agricultural marketing with the aim of meeting the needs of consumers and achieving the competitiveness of agricultural producers in the context of determining the characteristics of agricultural activity. It is substantiated that the sustainable development of agricultural production contributes to the strengthening of the economic and social security of the state, the formation of a positive image of the country, the growth of the quality of life of the urban and rural population, the increase of export potential, the maintenance of ecological balance in rural areas, the rational use, protection and reproduction of natural resources. According to the results of the assessment of the state of agricultural production in Ukraine, a change in the assortment of agricultural products was revealed in the direction of increasing the amount of cultivation of more profitable types of crop and livestock products. It was found that agricultural products occupy a leading place in Ukrainian exports. Attention is focused on the peculiarities of agricultural production, compared to other branches of the economy, which determine the specifics of the organization of marketing at agricultural enterprises. It was revealed that marketing research in the agricultural sector is mainly carried out by intermediaries, as a result of which the largest part of the profit is concentrated in intermediary structures. The stages of the process of implementation of marketing activities at enterprises producing agricultural products are characterized. It is substantiated that for the successful conduct of competition and the introduction of niche products, it is advisable to conduct marketing research and analyze the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises in the course of financial and economic activity, which will contribute to timely decision-making regarding changes in the product range, sales markets, and the enterprise management system. It has been proven that the use of marketing tools to increase the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises is important because it will contribute to taking into account external factors of influence and internal reserves of increasing efficiency. Attention is drawn to the need to select effective methods of competition and create the basis for the identification of the enterprise, which is determined by its marketing concept.

Geographic tracing of cereals from South Tyrol (Italy) and neighboring regions via 87Sr/86Sr isotope analysis

The protection and promotion of agricultural niche products can be supported by the application of analytical techniques able to link food to its territory. This study aimed at exploring the possibility to discriminate between cereal samples from South Tyrol (Italy) and the neighboring regions (Trentino, East Tyrol, and North Tyrol) by their 87Sr/86Sr ratios. Soil and grain (different species) samples were collected from around 100 fields in two sampling campaigns. No difference in the 87Sr/86Sr ratios among different cereal species (p < 0.05) was found when cultivated on the same field. A high correlation between 87Sr/86Sr ratios in cereal grains and soil samples was found, with results in line with the local geology characteristics. Cereal samples from South Tyrol showed relatively high 87Sr/86Sr values (0.716 – 0.721, mean 50%), separating them from the other regions investigated and many cereal production areas of global importance.

Crocus sativus (L.) Grown in Pots with High Volume Capacity: From a Case of Study to a Patent

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) cultivation is widespread in different parts of the world, including various Mediterranean areas. The crop management techniques, requiring intensive manual labor from planting, weeding, flower picking to the collecting of stigmas, contribute greatly to the high price of the spice. Traditionally, the corms are cultivated in field soil and only stigmas are collected to obtain the spice while the flower’s remaining parts, corresponding to about 90% of the total biomass, are discarded and thrown away. In this study, in order to overcome some difficulties occurring during the whole crop cycle (pathogens, fungi, pests, weeds, etc.), as well as to ease and increase floral bioresidue recovery, an alternative planting way for Crocus sativus L. was proposed relying on the use of large pots. For this aim, corms with 3.0–3.5 cm diameter size, from two different geographical origins (Spain, Holland), were planted in plastic pots with a volume of 250 L or 350 L, placed in two different areas of the Basilicata region (Italy). The effect of this new growing condition on dry stigma yield as well as daughter corm yield and size was evaluated. Although this cultivation system is more expensive than the traditional one, it offers numerous and huge advantages. Among them, it allows us to maintain a more correct posture and to preserve flower integrity during harvesting. The structural integrity of the tepals is a very important factor to obtain innovative dried flowers in their original tridimensional shape (3D). Consequently, the proposed cultivation system facilitates the achievement of a real “niche product” with high added value (absence of pollen grains). Moreover, the qualitative analysis of the spice, performed according to the International Standardization Organization Normative 3632 (ISO 3632-2/1:2010/2011), classified all investigated saffron samples in the first qualitative category. The results of the first three trial years are very exciting and promising as they are similar to those from the literature carried out in ground soil. However, corms from Spain gave the best results. Further investigations are in progress in order to optimize this alternative cultivation system.

Forest plantations with Toona ciliata: impacts of managerial flexibility on economic viability

Forest plantations with Toona ciliata are presented as economically viable thanks to the suitability of their wood for high-quality niche products. However, this study verifies whether investment projects in T. ciliata plantations are economically viable with the incorporation of managerial flexibility. We apply technical-economic coefficients from T. ciliata forest plantations over a 15-year planning horizon, considering the investment project as an underlying asset and the price of wood as the only source of uncertainty. Using the Monte Carlo method, we model uncertainty to obtain project volatility, so that, using the Real Option Approach, managerial flexibility for deferral, expansion and abandonment is added to the underlying assets. Based on the traditional economic valuation methodology, we obtained a static net present value of USD 5,075, which reflects the economic viability of the investment project in T. ciliata forest plantations. Due to the uncertainty arising from timber prices, project volatility was 131.7%. Afterwards, it was found that incorporating the deferral and abandonment options added a premium of USD 2,147 to the value of the project, redirecting it towards an expanded net present value of USD 7,223. Incorporation of the real deferral and abandonment options provides flexibility and support for the decision-making process in the management of T. ciliata forest plantations, resulting in a 42.3% increase in the value of the investment project.

Farming in the mountains of Nepal: crops, soil fertility, livelihoods and farm-forest linkages

In national plans, policies, and earlier development programs, livelihoods of mountain people in the Nepal Himalayas were overlooked, rendering them more susceptible to climatic risk and disaster. The management of marginal mountain agricultural land is crucial for food security, improved living conditions, and environmental protection. For enhancing livelihoods and ecological benefits, mountain agriculture is vital, however, a consolidated review on mountain farming is limited in Nepal. We used "mountain" AND "Nepal" AND "farming" OR "agriculture" in the literature's title published between 1978 and 2021 on Google Scholar and did an in-depth review of papers on the four thematic areas: mountain crops, soil fertility, livelihoods, and farm-forestry linkages. We observed a variety of nutrient-rich mountain crops with a market potential as niche products, low and deteriorating soil fertility of agricultural lands, a weakening of the farm-forest links, and an increase in the diversity of mountain livelihood choices. Small landholdings, labor outmigration mainly men, feminization of mountain farming, and food insecurity are the greatest challenges to the growth of agriculture in mountainous regions. There are, however, ample opportunities to make mountain regions green through agroforestry and community forests, to improve livelihoods by introducing niche value chains for products, to explore payment for ecosystem services through downstream-upstream linkages, and to recognize their traditional knowledge and practices through citizen science research and development.

Device Processing Challenges for Miniaturized Sensing Systems Targeting Biological Fluids

This article presents a review of device processing technologies used in the fabrication of biomedical systems, and highlights the requirements of advanced manufacturing technology. We focus on biomedical systems that perform diagnostics of fluidic specimens, with analytes that are in the liquid phase. In the introduction, we define biomedical systems as well as their versatile applications and the essential current trends. The paper gives an overview of the most important biomolecules that typically must be detected or analyzed in several applications. The paper is structured as follows. First, the conventional architecture and construction of a biosensing system is introduced. We provide an overview of the most common biosensing methods that are currently used for the detection of biomolecules and its analysis. We present an overview of reported biochips, and explain the technology of biofunctionalization and detection principles, including their corresponding advantages and disadvantages. Next, we introduce microfluidics as a method for delivery of the specimen to the biochip sensing area. A special focus lies on material requirements and on manufacturing technology for fabricating microfluidic systems, both for niche and mass-scale production segments. We formulate requirements and constraints for integrating the biochips and microfluidic systems. The possible impacts of the conventional microassembly techniques and processing methods on the entire biomedical system and its specific parts are also described. On that basis, we explain the need for alternative microassembly technologies to enable the integration of biochips and microfluidic systems into fully functional systems.

Current Trends in the Austrian Armament Industry

The armament industry of the Republic of Austria from 1955 to the present day has been a small part of the country’s industry, which employed more than 15,000 people in the production of weapons in its heyday in the 1980s, but today has only about 1500 employees due to a shrinking process resulting from the lack of domestic demand and extensive export restrictions. Overall, including niche products and dual-use products, around 90 percent of the products of the defence industry are exported, generating sales of 2.5 billion euros. In total, 32,000 people are employed directly or indirectly in the Austrian security and defence sector.

Selling electric vehicles: Experiences from vehicle salespeople in Sweden

Electric vehicles are capturing ever larger market shares of the new vehicle market in several large vehicle markets such as Europe and China. However, electric vehicles still only make up a small fraction of the total vehicle fleet. Much research has been focused on the perspective of existing or prospective adopters of Electric Vehicles. Less emphasis has been placed on intermediaries such as vehicle salespeople, who could be important mediators in the product matching process by providing helpful information, facilitating direct experience and directly influencing vehicle buyers' adoption decisions. This paper addresses this research gap using a qualitative investigation of vehicle salespeople at OEMs who sell both Electric Vehicles and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles on the Swedish market. Fifteen interviews with vehicle salespeople at leading OEMs were conducted in the fall of 2017. The results reveal that the sales process of vehicles is mainly focused on the sales of Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles. Electric Vehicles are treated as niche products which often require the vehicle buyer to initiate the sales process. It can be concluded that OEMs, dealerships and vehicle salespeople have taken relatively few steps to influence mainstream buyers to consider Electric Vehicles as an alternative to Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles at the point of sale. Possible reasons for the bias towards Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles can be found in the apparent lack of training and experience regarding Electric Vehicles among vehicle salespeople, more extended sales and delivery times for Electric Vehicles and a commission structure that often favours Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles.

The Acculturation Process of New Products through Known Products. Interpreting Ethical Certification of Diamonds through the Lens of Organic Food Produced in Italy

This study aims to highlight the use of the peculiar interconnection between two different production sectors, specifically the diamond and the food sectors, in order to show the cultural interpretations given to the certification of diamonds presented by consumers. These latter, while buying Canadian diamonds, have little knowledge of the real working conditions of miners in mines in Canada. Thus, they passively accept as truthful the jewellers’ claims in presenting ethical diamonds on which they base the moral purchasing decisions that also enable them to distinguish ethical diamonds from other non-certified diamonds. Drawing inspiration from studies on framing related to the analysis of language, the study shows how “frames of familiarity” linked to cultural ideas of food production sectors managed to incorporate “frames of novelty” in relation to Canadian diamonds, which are still niche products in Italy, on the part of a socio-cultural community of consumers who were thus able to increase the perception of trustworthiness with regard to these products. Thus, this research demonstrates that interpreting the certification of Canadian ethical diamonds through the lens of organic food produced in Italy, which is a label that generally refers to meanings of careful, respectful, and high-quality processing, allowed the Italian consumers interviewed to perform an act of acculturation of diamonds mined in Canada.

Полная иммунологическая характеристика коллекции голозерного ячменя в условиях южной зоны

Abstract. Barley production in Russia and, in particular, in the Rostov region, is of great economic importance. There are positive and negative cultivation feature of the crop in this region. Spring barley has occupied its niche in production here, and in recent years the interest of breeders has been turned to its hulles forms. In order to develop a new promising breeding material, it is necessary to study comprehensively a various source material, including its responsiveness to diseases. The purpose of the current study was an immunological estimation of the world collection of hulles barley, provided by the N. I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR), according to resistance to the main pathogens widely spread in the Rostov region. The applied methods have included observations under conditions of an artificial infectious background, which revealed the immunological response of the varieties to the studied diseases. The created provocative conditions reduced the time of manifestation of susceptibility, and made it possible to cull the studied material at the early stages of the breeding process. The estimation was carried out for resistance to both leaf diseases (powdery mildew and net blotch) and smuts (head and loose). The study was carried out in the period from 2016 to 2018. There were evaluated 95 samples of various ecological and geographical origin. The result of the conducted study was as follows: according to powdery mildew there have been recommended such varieties as 84469/70 (Czech Republic), 1057-1923 (Czech Republic), Orgeniepetite (France) and Yudinsky 1 (Russian Federation). According to barley net blotch resistance, there have been recommended such varieties as 84469/70 (Czech Republic), Mestny (Dagestan), CDC Dawn (Canada) and NB-owa (Nepal). According to head smut resistance, there have been recommended such varieties as CDC Dawn (Canada), CDC Buck (Canada), H 235/66 and 84469/70 (Czech Republic). According to loose smut resistance, there have been recommended such varieties as CDC Dawn (Canada), CDC Buck (Canada), H 235/66, 84469/70 (Czech Republic) and Dublet (Belarus).

Effects of Dairy Lambs' Rearing System and Slaughter Age on Consumer Liking of Lamb Meat and Its Association with Lipid Content and Composition.

The effects of the rearing system (artificially vs. naturally milk-fed) and the slaughter age (3-weeks milk-fed vs. 3-months pasture-fed) on consumer liking of East-Friesian-cross dairy lamb Longissimus lumborum muscle and its association with lipid content and composition were evaluated. The artificially reared lambs were removed from their dams at 2–3 days of age and reared with cow milk. Intramuscular fat content (2.8%) was similar between treatments. Only 3 of the 25 fatty acids evaluated were influenced by the rearing system and 15 by the slaughter age. The rearing system had a minor impact (p < 0.10), but the slaughter age had a major (p < 0.01) impact on consumer liking. All consumers preferred on average meat from 3-weeks-old lambs. However, based on overall liking scores, Cluster-1 (60% of consumers) preferred meat from 3-weeks-old lambs driven by all sensory attributes but mostly tenderness, whereas Cluster-2 preferred meat from 3-months-old lambs driven by flavor only, indicating a preference for stronger flavor from older lambs finished on pasture. Meat fatty acid profile and consumer liking were not influenced by the rearing system but by lamb slaughter age, showing a niche product opportunity for the 3-weeks milk-fed lambs.

Should we give a thought to video games food in tourism?

ABSTRACT This Research Note aims to expand the emerging discussion of media-induced tourism to the domain of video games. It situates video games food at the intersection of tourism, food, and video games. Observations made from news media, video games related websites, and social media depict an emerging phenomenon of interest in video game food transferring to the real world. Based on this developing nexus, the paper identifies video game food has the potential to be developed as a niche product for tourism.

The Market Size Paradox of Niche Product Innovations

When do niche product innovations—new products that initially appeal to narrow market segments—achieve widespread commercial success? To answer this question, I develop an agent-based model of innovation diffusion in a competitive product market. The model varies two important parameters of the market: incumbent market power (the degree to which sales are concentrated in a small number of incumbents), and customer mimesis (the degree to which customers’ preferences depend on other customers’ preferences). The model indicates that niche product innovations are more likely to be big hits than products with broad appeal when incumbent market power and customer mimesis are both high, but less likely when both are low. I empirically validate the model using a consumer panel dataset of over 11,000 new consumer products purchased by about 400,000 consumers from 2006-2019. The results imply a “market size paradox”: under certain conditions, innovations that initially appeal to relatively narrow market niches (as opposed to broad appeal) actually tend to achieve greater widespread commercial success. Thus prior to launch, niche innovations, which have more potential for commercial success, may systematically appear to have small potential market sizes according to traditional market-sizing techniques.

International North–South Transport Corridor: Boosting Russia’s “pivot to the South” and Trans-Eurasian connectivity

The Russian economy will have to adjust its logistics to face the new reality. The operationali­zation of the multimodal International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is an important strategic part of it. This “pivot to the South” by Russia and other Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries is of particular significance in light of the required reconfiguration of supply chains in Eurasia. Russian exporters, importers and freight forwarding companies’ needs in alternative logistical opportunities have increased dramatically. The INSTC development would promote Eurasian intra- and transcontinental connectivity, reduce export costs, develop new production niches, and realize the Caspian region’s transit potential. This study estimates that the aggregate potential INSTC freight traffic via all the routes and modes of transport, including containerized and non-containerized cargoes, will reach 15–25 million­ tonnes by 2030. The container traffic could rise 20x and this will require investments in hard infrastructure and also soft infrastructure improvement. The corridor will contribute to the evolving outline of the trans-Eurasian transport backbone and bring significant benefits for the economies of Russia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Middle East, and South Asia.

Alternative Materials from Agro-Industry for Wood Panel Manufacturing-A Review.

The growing demand for wood-based panels for buildings and furniture and the increasing worldwide concern for reducing the pressure on forest resources require alternatives to wood raw materials. The agricultural industry not only can provide raw materials from non-wood plants but also numerous residues and side streams. This review supplies an overview of the availability, chemical composition, and fiber characteristics of non-wood lignocellulosic materials and agricultural residues, i.e., grow care residues, harvest residues, and process residues, and their relevance for use in wood panel manufacturing. During the crop harvest, there are millions of tons of residues in the form of stalks, among other things. Usually, these are only available seasonally without using storage capacity. Process residues, on the other hand, can be taken from ongoing production and processed further. Fiber characteristics and chemical composition affect the panel properties. Alternatives to wood with long fibers and high cellulose content offer sufficient mechanical strength in different panel types. In general, the addition of wood substitutes up to approximately 30% provides panels with the required strength properties. However, other parameters must be considered, such as pressing temperature, adhesive type, press levels, and pretreatments of the raw material. The search for new raw materials for wood panels should focus on availability throughout the year, the corresponding chemical requirements and market competition. Panel type and production process can be adapted to different raw materials to fit niche products.

Evaluation of acha flour in the production of gluten‐free sourdough cookies

SummaryEmploying biotechnology processing in the manufacturing of baked goods with underutilised gluten‐free cereals is deserving of marked interest to get new niche products. This study aims at determining the influence of sourdough made with starter cultures on the nutritional and sensory characteristics of cookies produced with acha flour. Sourdough containing lactic acid bacteria and yeast starters were added as ingredients for making acha‐based cookies. Sourdough increased the spread ratio of the cookies. Fructilactobacillus fructivorans and Candida tropicalis as mixed starters gave the highest values (6.52 ± 0.06 and 2.21 ± 0.27, respectively) for crude protein and ash. Sourdough addition and the type of starter culture used for the fermentation influenced the mineral composition of cookies (P &lt; 0.05). The most overall acceptable was SBTC, made with only C. tropicalis sourdough. Utilisation of acha with sourdough addition is recommended for making cookies with improved qualities and promoting the locally grown cereal for potential health benefits.

Effect of Different Growing Niches on Stand Structure of Highland Bamboo (Yushania alpina) in West Amhara, Northern Ethiopia

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of different growing niches on the stand structure of highland bamboo (Yushania alpina) in west Amhara national regional state, northern Ethiopia. Four districts were selected purposively based on the existence of bamboo in different agroforestry practices. Inventory was carried out from 324 randomly selected plots of bamboo stands. The height of bamboo culms ranged between 12.2 ± 0.14 and 14.7 ± 0.12 m, and the diameter was between 4.9 ± 0.12 and 6.1 ± 0.11 cm with a mean value of 5.7 ± 0.102 cm. Growth performance (diameter and height size) based population distribution (histogram visualization) of bamboo stand indicated the normal distribution of height and diameter of culms. Density of culm varies between 19,188 ± 336 and 23,129 ± 390 culms ha−1 with an age composition of 26 : 45 : 29 ratio with 1 and 3 age classes. Diameters of the bamboo culms have inverse relationship with the age of bamboo culm. Clump stocking of highland bamboo varies between 953 ± 40 and 1220 ± 48 clump ha−1 with a culm : clump ratio of 1 : 47 ± 5 and 1 : 82 ± 6. Information on the stand structure of bamboo culms across niches is important to identify the productive plantation niche and develop a management plan for sustainable management and utilization of the bamboo resource.

Chemical, Functional, and Technological Features of Grains, Brans, and Semolina from Purple and Red Durum Wheat Landraces.

A main reason of the increasing interest in cereal landraces is their potential to offer more diversified and functional staple food. For instance, landraces are an underexploited resource of pigmented varieties, appreciated for the high accumulation of phytochemicals with known health benefits. This study characterized the chemical, functional, and technological features of the bran, semolina, and grains of two durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum, Desf.) landraces, named ‘Purple’ and ‘Red’ for their grain color, collected in Ethiopia and grown and sold in southern Italy as a niche product. Specifically, we analyzed the protein content, dry gluten, ash, total polyphenols, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and specific phenolic acids. We also evaluated the antioxidant activity using DPPH- and ABTS-based methods. The two landraces had positive nutritional features, such as a high protein content, a rich and composite range of secondary metabolites (which include specific phenolic acids and anthocyanins), and antioxidant activities in all the fractions analyzed. The germplasm under investigation therefore has a well-justified potential to yield functional products and to diversify durum wheat-based foods.

Switzerland's Dependence on a Diamorphine Monopoly.

In 2021, the manufacturer of diamorphine reported a possible impending shortage for Switzerland and Germany. This led us to investigate this controlled medicine’s manufacture, market, and regulatory constraints. Based on our analysis of legal texts and gray literature in the form of reports and documents, we propose recommendations to prevent and address diamorphine shortages in Switzerland. Diamorphine, also known as pharmaceutical “heroin,” is used medically to treat persons with severe opioid use disorder in a handful of countries. The controlled medicine is manufactured from morphine, which, in turn, is extracted from opium poppies. Studying data from the International Narcotics Control Board for 2019, we find that Switzerland accounts for almost half of the worldwide medical consumption of diamorphine. It manufactures more than half of the worldwide total and keeps the largest stocks. Moreover, Switzerland is dependent on a sole supplier of diamorphine (monopoly). As a niche product, diamorphine has an increased risk of shortage. Such a shortage would immediately threaten a valuable public health program for around 1,660 Swiss patients. We believe it is urgent to curtail the monopoly and ensure a stable supply for the future.

State financial regulation of the competitive environment: assessment for the agricultural sector of Ukraine

The article reveals the importance of state financial regulation as one of the most important tools for economic growth and ensuring the competitiveness of industries and the economy of Ukraine. The studies of domestic and foreign scientists on the subject of research are analyzed in detail. The state of enterprises of the agricultural sector of Ukraine for the period 2013-2020 has been determined. The study was carried out on the factors of providing agricultural producers with financial resources in terms of the size of the forms of management. The share of unprofitable enterprises in the industry for the same period is also analyzed. The achievements of the agricultural sector are described according to the statistical analysis of the state of socio-economic development of the regions in the period 2020-2021. The methodology for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the implementation of the state regional policy in accordance with legislative regulations is described. This made it possible to establish that at the present stage, the financial regulation of the agricultural sector of Ukraine is carried out without proper scientific justification and, as a rule, responds slowly to the requirements of economic practice, especially in the context of deepening the penetration of global processes into the national economy. Approaches to the assessment of the competitive environment of the agrarian sector of Ukraine and the direction of its state regulation are proposed. Theoretical, methodological, and practical aspects of assessing the competitiveness of the sector are disclosed. The necessity and possibility of forming a competitive environment by fiscal policy measures, primarily budgetary regulation, is proved. The problems of forming a competitive environment in the context of the current crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the place of Ukraine in the world competitiveness ranking are identified, and methodological approaches to the development strategy are proposed. It is proved that the competitive strategy is based on the existing resources of the industry (material, financial and intellectual), the level of development of various forms of management, the structure of production, marketing, processing, the formation of value chains and a bilateral state-market regulator. The directions for improving the quality of the competitive environment, arising from the paradigm of innovative development of the agricultural sector, are summarized and provide for the stimulation of small business in niche and organic production and large-scale industrial production in terms of the main indicators of food security, as well as the development of land, financial, credit and resource markets and the formation of equal access to them all agricultural producers.