Farm gate profitability of organic and conventional farming systems in the tropics

Figures & data

Table 1. Data points of harvested crops over the study period per site, system and crop type as well as the average premium prices paid during the study period* where n represents the number of crops grown and included in this analysis for the study period(2007/10- 2018).

Site	System	Crop type	Data points	Average % premium over conventional^#	Crops (n)
Bolivia	conventional	Main crop	8	–	Cacao (8)
Bolivia	conventional	Associated crops	14	–	Plantain (2), Banana (7), Avocado (3), Copoazu (2)
Bolivia	organic	Main crop	8	11.7	Cacao (8)
Bolivia	organic	Associated crops	14	–	Plantain (2), Banana (7), Avocado (3), Copoazu (2)
India	conventional	Main crop	24	–	Cotton (24)
India	conventional	Associated crops	60*	–	Soybean (24), Wheat (36)
India	organic	Main crop	24	13.5	Cotton (24)
India	organic	Associated crops	56*	–	Soybean (24), Wheat (32)
Chuka	conventional	Main crop	16	–	Maize (8), Maize + Common bean (8),
Chuka	conventional	Associated crops	32	–	Babycorn (8), Cabbage (4), Common bean (2), French bean (4), Kale - Swiss chard (4), Potato (8), Soybean (2)
Chuka	organic	Main crop	16	33.6	Maize (8), Maize + Common bean (8)
Chuka	organic	Associated crops	32	85.7	Babycorn (8), Cabbage (3), Common bean (2), Cowpea (1), French bean (4), Kale – Swiss chard (3), Potato (8), Soybean (2), Swiss chard (1)
Thika	conventional	Main crop	16	–	Maize (8), Maize + Common bean (8)
Thika	conventional	Associated crops	32	–	Babycorn (8), Cabbage (4), Common bean (4), French bean (4), Kale – Swiss chard (4), Potato (8)
Thika	organic	Main crop	16	64	Maize (8), Maize – Common bean (8)
Thika	organic	Associated crops	32	92.4	Babycorn (8), Cabbage (3), Common bean (4), Cowpe (1), French bean (4), Kale – Swiss chard (3), Potato (8), Swiss chard (1)

#Premiums were paid for organically grown cacao and cotton from 2011-2018, maize and associated crops in Kenya for 2011-2018.

*Due to adaptations in the crop rotation, the number of associated crops grown over the study period differs between organic and conventional in India.

Table 2. Summary of the items included in the calculations of the variables: Income, Labour cost, and Input cost.

Country	Revenues	Labour cost	Variable input cost
Bolivia	Harvested yield * average annual farm gate price	Compost/fertilizer preparation/purchasing and application time	Cost of material for compost preparation/cost for mineral fertilizer (Blaukorn)
	Premium prices are given only for cacao	Harvest, management, and replanting trees	Planting material for first planting, replanting and tools for harvesting, pruning, grafting, spraying, weeding and post-harvest processes, considering the useful life of tools and equipment
		Weeding /herbicide purchasing and application	Herbicide cost
		Post-harvest labour for cacao and banana
India	Harvested yield * average seasonal farm gate price	Sowing, Cotton Nursery, Transplanting, and gap filling	Seeds
	Premium prices are given for cotton including certification cost	Compost/fertilizer preparation/purchasing and application time	Cost of material for organic fertilization (FYM, Compost, Rockphosphate)/cost for mineral fertilizer (Urea, DAP, MOP, SSP)
		Pesticide and herbicide purchasing and application time, preparation and application time for botanical and biodynamic preparations	Pesticide and herbicide cost, the cost for ingredients for botanical and biodynamic preparations
		Land preparation and blade harrowing for weed control
		Irrigation (maintenance and monitoring)
		Harvest
Chuka and Thika Kenya	Harvested yield * actual farm gate price	Land preparation, planting, gapping, mulching	Seeds/seedlings
	Premium prices given for all crops	Fertilizer application and compost preparation and application time	Cost of material for organic fertilization (FYM, rock phosphate)/cost for mineral fertilizer (CAN, DAP, TSP)
		Pesticide application	Pesticide and herbicide cost
		Weeding/herbicide application	Irrigation water
		Harvest and post-harvest	Certification cost (group certification)

Figure 1. Cumulative variable production costs and partial gross margin at farm gate for cash (CC) and associated crops (AC) of conventional and organic farming systems in the long-term system comparison trials at a) Bolivia, b) India, c) Chuka and d) Thika site of Kenya.