Marginal abatement costs for reducing leaching of nitrates in Croatian agriculture

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to estimate marginal abatement costs (MAC) of N-fertiliser tax policies which aim to prevent NO 3 levels from rising. Estimates of MAC provide information on how large reductions in Nfertilisation rates should be before other measures are considered. Based on N-response experiments from Croatian field trials with maize, N-response curves were estimated and profit maximising N-doses were derived. Values of NO 3 -N concentration in lysimeter water from the same treatments were used to estimate an NO 3 -leaching function. A sample of 20 Croatian family farms was used to obtain records of producer and input prices as well as actual N-doses. Abatement costs and MAC for an N-tax, a product tax and an Nquota were estimated. The MAC for all the instruments are non-constant and increase at an accelerating rate. The MAC for N-taxes are positive for N-taxes lower than 60%, indicating a net return to society. Reduction rates in fertilisation up to this level should be achieved before considering governmental support for other measures. The N-tax has the lowest abatement cost and the lowest MAC for a particular level of reduction while the N-quota has a lower MAC than the product tax when total reduction levels are below 20 mg NO 3 l -1 .

Cost-benefit analysis of nitrate abatement in the Souffel catchment (France): Sensitivity study of the damage and spatialization of the abatement effort

“…For the year 2017, these nitrogen quantities were: 0.9 kg/day (in K21); 4.92 kg/day (in L11); 25.99 kg/day (in S22); and 6.26 kg/day (in S14). These quantities are converted into equivalent nitrate to obtain nitrate flows in mg/s (Sumelius et al, 2005).…”

Sustainable Agriculture

“…The difference between private and social costs in this case depends on the fact that the agricultural support has been deducted from the social costs. Sumelius et al (2005) estimated marginal abatement costs of an N fertiliser tax and an N quota in Croatia which aims to prevent NO 3 levels from rising. On a sample of maize-producing farms the marginal social costs were found to be negative (i.e.…”

Agricultural Producers’ Awareness about the Impact of Fertilizers Overuse on the Environment

“…Level of education is one among the variables that plays a significant role in the development of the cognitive level of farmers about the use of fertilizers (Hameed, Sawicka, 2017). It is very important to educate farmers about the vital importance of fertilization which is based on adequate soil analysis (Sumelius et al, 2005).…”