Pulses are widely acknowledged for their high nutritional value due to high protein content, low content in calories, and low glycemic index; they are a good alternative to animal proteins thus offering a considerable number of social, environmental, and health benefits. Despite pulses being widely acknowledged as healthy and sustainable food, in mainly European countries, consumption is growing but still lower than the recommended level, production is unprofitable in comparison to the current market prices level, and a reduction in harvested area has led to a strong dependence on import for pulses supply. Pulses are particularly fitting to the feature of local food because they can be suitably grown in any context, even in the most complex areas, and consumer interest and awareness of food origin has strongly increased in recent years. Lentils were selected as a case study in this paper that aims to define which features are effective on market price and, in particular, the role of origin declaration on label plays in defining the market price and how the origin attributes may enhance market price and farms competitiveness. The methodological tool for this investigation is the hedonic price model, useful to explain the effects of attributes of pulses affecting the market price. Results contribute to a better understanding of the pulse market, emphasizing that the “origin declaration” on label may have a positive effect on market price.
The Apulia (southern Italy) ornamental sector has been facing regulatory obligations and trade limitations due to a Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) outbreak since 2013. Alternative options to encounter these constraints include the implementation of novel and sustainable ornamental production (NSM) practices. In this context, the purpose of this study is to assess simultaneously the environmental implications and economic viability of these options versus the conventional production options (CMs) among eight ornamental species (Abelia grandiflora, Bougainvillea cv Don Mario, Lantana camara cv Bandana rosa, Jasminum officinalis, Photinia fraseri cv Red Robin, Loropetalum chinense cv Black Pearl, Trachelospermum jasminoides, Viburnum lucidum). Life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost–benefit analysis (CBA) were used for this purpose. LCA revealed that NSM induced relatively less environmental impacts at the nursery level towards agricultural land occupation, climate change, fossil depletion, and water depletion. CBA showed that NSM increases moderately nursery business profitability in an economic sustainable way. An overall annual average gross margin of about EUR 192/1000 plants can be generated using NSM over the CM model. In general, this research provides a useful decision-support, helping nursery growers under the pressure of the threat of quarantine pests such as Xf to adopt NSM practices, which could be useful to produce ornamental and landscape plants with high sanitary quality.
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