Life Cycle Costing for blueberry cultivation in marginal Italian areas

Agriculture in marginal areas undoubtedly presents significant challenges, but also offers opportunities for innovative and sustainable agricultural practices. A prime example is represented by berries, such as blueberries, which are particularly well adapted to these territories thanks to their low resource requirements and ability to thrive in different environmental conditions. Globally, the berries sector is booming, with an annual growth rate of 8%, in Italy, the area cultivated with blueberries is around 1,600 hectares in 2024, compared to 1,200 ha hectares in 2020. Production has increased from less than 70,000 quintals per year in 2020 to more than 100,000 quintals in 2023 (ISTAT, 2024). Around 75% of production is exported, with particular attention to European markets and a growing interest in the local market, obtaining turnovers exceeding 100 million euros. This phenomenon is fueled by growing consumer demand for functional and healthy foods, as well as by advances in production techniques, such as the use of high-yielding cultivars, precision agriculture and protected cultivation. Investing in the cultivation of berries therefore represents an extraordinary opportunity for rural and marginal areas, allowing them to exploit available resources efficiently and at the same time contribute to the development of sustainable and resilient food systems. The growing global demand for blueberries, thanks to their healthy properties, makes them a profitable crop even in less productive areas, where management costs can be lower. Blueberries are well suited to organic and integrated agriculture, often adopted in marginal areas where preserving the local ecosystem is a priority. Their cultivation can also help protect the soil from erosion and improve biodiversity and agroecology. Blueberry orchards help to enhance traditional production and unused local resources with a view to socio-economic and environmental sustainability. The research aims to compare the profitability of blueberry cultivation, analyzing the differences between the organic and conventional method, and between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged areas. It uses data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), evaluating socio-economic indicators to identify the opportunities and challenges related to different production approaches and altimetric contexts. Subsequently, a stochastic frontier model will be applied to statistically demonstrate how marginality and organic certification can be considered elements of technical and consequently income inefficiency.