COVID-19 Drives Consumer Behaviour and Agro-Food Markets towards Healthier and More Sustainable Patterns

This study examines the extant state of research into our understanding of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in its early stages on food-purchasing behaviour. As such, it includes a summary and categorisation of the findings, extending to consumption preferences worldwide. After the indiscriminate stockpiling of food, which was witnessed in many countries following the implementation of the lockdown, the impact of COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease-2019) on consumer habits has inversely varied in function of personal attitudes, individual and household experiences, and characteristics. Specific contexts, and the financial, economic, and logistic nature of these contexts, have also been found to be of relevance in examining the research relating to the coronavirus pandemic and food-purchasing behaviour. Concurrent with the pandemic, some worldwide trends have emerged-home cooking has been rediscovered, leading to an increase in the demand for staple foodstuffs, and purchases from small, local retailers and online food shopping have been accorded preferential treatment. Despite price volatility and concern about future household incomes, a significant proportion of consumers have shifted to buying healthier, more sustainable food. Moreover, food wastage has seen a notable decrease in volume. Such an occasion should be strategically exploited by manufacturers and retailers in satisfying this consumer demand. Finally, the COVID-19 crisis would seem to offer an unparalleled opportunity to re-engineer the agro-food market by driving the transition toward more sustainable supply and production patterns. Thus, stronger and more equitable partnerships between farmers, manufacturers, retailers, and citizens may be in the process of being forged

Consumers of flowers and ornamental plants: an eploratory survey in the Italian «Mezzogiorno» regions

This paper aims to provide further knowledge of purchase and consumption behaviours with regard to flowers and ornamental plants in the regions of Italian «Mezzogiorno», as an acknowledgement of the centrality of final demand in the chain process. The knowledge of consumption process is fundamental either to the firm – in order to improve commercial strategies – or to competition authorities – with the purpose of implementing more effective policies. From the analysis carried out it emerges that flowers and ornamental plants consumption in the «Mezzogiorno» regions is characterised by a high penetration index and – just with regard to some commodities – by a low purchase frequency. Purchase – mainly in specialized flower shops – is made both to satisfy personal requirements and as a present for special occasions. With the only exception of flowers, consumption is not tied to specific occasions. In the «Mezzogiorno» regions this sector is actually showing a good growth potential in both productive and consumption terms. It is of primary importance to carry out actions consisting in an improvement of information and awareness among consumers about flowers and ornamentals, and a more diversified supply of products in order to get into the modern distribution chains.Cette étude vise à offrir une connaissance plus approfondie des comportements d’achat et de consommation de fleurs et de plantes ornementales dans les régions du « Mezzogiorno » d’Italie, en reconnaissant l’importance de la demande tout au long de la filière. La compréhension du processus de consommation a une très grande importance soit pour les entreprises, afin d’améliorer leurs stratégies commerciales, soit pour les autorité qui gèrent la concurrence, pour la mise en place de politiques plus efficaces. L’analyse empirique montre que, dans les régions du « Mezzogiorno » d’Italie, la consommation de fleurs et de plantes a un taux élevé de pénétration mais, pour certains produits, une faible fréquence d’achat. En particulier, l’achat, réalisé surtout dans les magasins spécialisés dans la vente de fleurs et de plantes, vise à satisfaire, d’une coté, les besoins des consommateurs, et, de l’autre, les besoins d’achat des cadeaux dans des circonstances spécifiques. Dans les régions étudiées, le secteur des fleurs et des plantes montre des potentialités de développement de plus en plus croissant sur le plan productif mais aussi en termes de consommation. Dans ce scénario, il serait souhaitable de mettre en place des actions et des outils pour à améliorer l’information et la sensibilisation des consommateurs sur les caractéristiques des produits concernés, mais aussi, de diversifier l’offre, de façon à pouvoir accéder aux nouvelles chaînes de la distribution

L’utilizzo della regressione multipla nelle indagini estimative condotte in mercati fondiari attivi: il caso studio di oliveti e vigneti in un territorio siciliano

The present study aims to provide a further contribution to the knowledge about the mechanism of price formation concerning olive orchards and vineyards in a land market of south-west Sicily. Firstly the main characteristics of a sample concerning 42 land properties recently sold in Partanna territory were surveyed and afterwards their relationships between the most relevant among them and the correspondent market prices (both total and unitary sales prices) were investigated through the Multiple Regression Analysis. Finally some propositive remarks were formulated in order to create and successively keep up to date a database of land market prices, necessary tool to improve the quality level of professional valuers in the field of agricultural market

Is there sustainable entrepreneurship in the wine industry? Exploring Sicilian wineries participating in the SOStain program

Global climate change and the accelerating depletion of natural resources have contributed to increase discussions about the role of private enterprises in reversing negative environmental trends. Rather than focusing on profit maximization, policy makers and consumers pressure groups expect firms to meet a triple-bottom line of economic, environmental and social value creation. Hence sustainable entrepreneurship has received recently increasing interest as a phenomenon and a research topic. More recently, the concept of sustainability has been taken seriously in the Italian wine industry. The organizational challenge for entrepreneurship is to better integrate social and environmental performance into the economic business logic. The aim of this manuscript is to illustrate, through a descriptive approach, the adaptation of the wine industry to the new scenario of sustainable entrepreneurship. To reach this goal we carried out an explorative analysis of 3 Sicilian wineries involved in the SOStain program, which aims at the improvement of sustainability in the wine industry. The findings of the analysis show the existence of sustainability-driven entrepreneurship, in which the wineries undertake to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life for the workforce, their families, the local and global community as well as future generations

La competitività del comparto florovivaistico delle regioni del mezzogiorno sul mercato internazionale

In the last few years the Italian flower and ornamental plant sector has been characterized by a significant dynamicity, becoming one of the most important sectors of the Italian agricultural system. In terms of competitiveness, however, the above sector has faced several market crises due to the globalization process which has produced has brought about an increasing supply of flower and ornamentals in the world market. In a national context, Mezzogiorno is an important area in terms of production source for flowers and ornamental plants, in relation to both extremely favorable climatic conditions and specific economic situations which positively affect profitability of firms operating in some productive sub-sectors (e.g., the ornamental plant sector). The paper points out the apparent growth signs of the Mezzogiorno flower and ornamental plant sector, though its contribution to the specialization of agrofood products is still marginal. Within the single items belonging to chapter 6 “Living trees and flowers”, the analysis carried out shows a specialization in the category of live plants as a consequence of a growing demand of such products from foreign markets. The competitiveness analysis has pointed out that these Italian regions are characterized by a strong comparative advantage mainly with some countries of the Balkans area (Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Erzegovina and Croatia), and with some EU countries (Romania, Greece, Malta and France). A heavy competitive disadvantage comes up with the Netherlands and, less important, with Thailand, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Among the main factors which affect the competitive performance of Mezzogiorno regions, it is clear that a crucial role is played both by farm pulverisation, which limits the development and the implementation of new productive technologies, and by an inefficiency of the distributive system. A strategy which certainly needs to be carried out is the adoption of high qualitative standards in order to reach new and important markets, particularly those characterized by high presence of rich consumption segments.Competitiveness, Flowers and Ornamental Plants Sector, International Trade, Mezzogiorno, F140, Q170,

Implementation of green harvesting in the Sicilian wine industry: Effects on the cooperative system

This paper contributes to assessing the effectiveness of the GH measure to contribute in reducing the supply of wine grapes, and thus contrasting the fall of wine prices in those years when especially abundant productions are expected. By analysing the application of this measure to the Sicilian wine sector during the three-year period (2010-2012), we assess its effects on the regional wine cooperative system. The results from the analysis of the statistical data show that the GH measure was successful in terms of the number of applications, the supported area and financial expenditures, and contributed with other factors to determining a reduction in wine grape production. The empirical survey shows that GH has been contributing to contrast the fall of wine prices in this region and helping the recovery of the wine market. However, an increase in operating costs as well as difficulties in the planning activities of the cooperatives has been recorded

Stima della disponibilità a pagare per la salvaguardia di un'area protetta siciliana dagli incendi boschivi

Forest fires are a major concern in the Mediterranean regions and decision-makers devote large financial resources of the overall public forestry expenditure to their management. The research aims to provide an empirical contribution to the knowledge about the economic benefits deriving from fire protection of forest ecosystems. A case study is presented where we measured the TEV of reducing fire hazards to a cork-oak forest localised in a Sicilian protected area, using a dichotomous choice question in a Contingent Valuation Study. The magnitudes of the annual aggregate WTP estimates obtained range from € 32,745 to € 42,953, corrispondent to € 712 and € 934 per hectare, in order to protect the forest from fires, and are an evidence of the little interest of local community in the forest ecosystem protection

L’amministrazione del catasto italiano. Il processo di decentramento delle funzioni catastali

The present study aims to reconstruct the decentralization process of the cadastral functions to town municipalities to date and to trace out the future prospects of cadastral management in Italy. Besides organizational structure, functions and informative patrimony of the Land Agency, the national regulatory framework and the operational steps of decentralization were here investigated. In the meantime, after over ten years from its start, cadastral decentralization has partially lost its original importance in physical terms, either to citizens or to public institutions, due to the strong speed-up given by the National Land Agency to the use of Internet and data communications, which allows to provide a range of internet cadastral services

Behaviour of consumers of conventional and organic flowers and ornamental plants in Italy

The paper analyses preferences and motivations of Italian consumers of flowers and ornamental plants, both conventional and organic. The results helped to outline their profile. Purchases are still done in the traditional places (flower shops for cut flowers and plant nurseries for potted plants), however positive trend is found for potted plants purchases at large distribution chains. Some differences came out as to purchase motivations: cut flowers are mainly bought in special occasions whereas potted plants purchases are linked to personal use. The results confirm a positive relationship between the purchase of flowers and plants and the age of the interviewees, besides showing that women are interested on purchases. The information we obtained is relevant not only for the sector’s operators in order to define effective managerial strategies, but also for the policy maker to address new market and consumption policies

Sustainability initiatives and experiences in the Sicilian wine industry

The Italian wine sector shows an increasing interest towards sustainability issues. As a result, a wide number of programs and initiatives concerning environmental, social and economic sustainability has been developed in recent years. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the adaptation of the Sicilian wine sector to the new scenario of sustainable productions. To this purpose a direct survey of 5 Sicilian wineries involved in two different sustainability programs, SOStain and Magis, was carried out. The findings of the study reveal that the sustainability path undertaken by the wineries analyzed has led to management awareness that company activities can ensure social and human benefits, as well as fulfill environmental and economic objectives in the long term