Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mario D?Amico Author-Name: Piermichele La Sala Author-Name: Teresina Mancuso Author-Name: Rocco Roma Author-Name: Roberta Sisto Author-Name: Maurizio Canavari Author-Name: Valeria Borsellino Author-Name: Martin K. Hingley Author-Name: Christine Mauracher Author-Name: Simona Naspetti Author-Name: John L. Stanton Author-Name: Stefanella Stranieri Title: Editorial Abstract: Classification-JEL: Keywords: Note: Pages:139-143 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62629&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002001 Number: 1 Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Gianluigi Cardone Author-Name: Annalisa De Boni Author-Name: Amira Jouini Author-Name: Rocco Roma Title: Innovations in table grape supply chain: economic and environmental sustainability and local policy instruments Abstract: Consumers? preferences are important drivers for strategic firm choices and for policy. Grape table consumption in the last years showed a drastic preference towards seedless varieties, most of them imported, negatively affected the demand for local varieties. Policy instruments improving local firms? competitiveness have the aims to implement certified quality system based on advanced integrated and organic methods. This paper presents former results of a wider study on sustainability of innovation in grape sector starting from the stakeholder?s opinions, analysed by a swot analysis. Results from an economic and environmental analysis put in evidence sector needs that regional policy instruments have to solve to improve sector integration. Classification-JEL: Q16, Q18, Q56 Keywords: Note: Pages:145-167 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62630&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002002 Number: 2 X-File-Ref: http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/References.ashx?idArticolo=62630 Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Luca Camanzi Author-Name: Giorgia Bartoli Author-Name: Beatrice Biondi Author-Name: Giulio Malorgio Title: A Structural-Functional Theory approach to vertical coordination in agri-food supply chains: Insights from the "Gran Suino Italiano" Inter-branch Organisation Abstract: The pig sector plays a strategic role in many EU Member States, and particularly in Italy, due to the high value of Italian dry-cured ham Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs), such as "Prosciutto di Parma" and "Prosciutto San Daniele". However, vertical relationships in these supply chains, especially breederslaughterer relationships, are affected by a number of critical factors, including international competition in the supply of livestock, different profitability conditions and the weak concentration of primary supply as well as the scarce effectiveness of Inter-branch Organisations (IOs). This research aims to point out stakeholders? perceptions of the current vertical coordination and bargaining power conditions in the pig sector, with a specific focus on farmers. The information provided will be useful to identify appropriate governance and contractual tools to improve efficiency and value distribution along the supply chain. To do that, an interpretative model of contractual relationships between breeders and processors in the agri-food supply-chain was proposed, based on the relevant theoretical concepts drawn from both sociological literature (Structural-Function Theory) and economic literature (Transaction Costs Theory, Contract Theory) and a set of research hypotheses are formulated. Then, a direct survey was conducted on a sample of farms of the "Gran Suino Italiano" Inter-branch Organisation (IO) in Italy and the information gathered was elaborated by means of multivariate statistic techniques (cluster analysis and tests for variance analysis) to verify the research assumptions made. The results obtained showed that farmers only partially use written contracts and, where present, these are limited to being individual and not in aggregate form. Moreover, the most serious problems encountered in the commercial relations with the counterparty are the lack of legal clauses that can protect the weak contractor in the transaction and the lack of shared agreements on the carcass evaluation method and, hence, the determination of the price of the animals sold to the slaughterer. We conclude that the most appropriate solution to improve breeders? perception of the current weaknesses in vertical coordination with processors could be to introduce a new contract scheme between farmers and processors, with specific features identified on a shared basis by the members of the Inter-branch Organization. Classification-JEL: Q11, Q13, Q16 Keywords: Note: Pages:169-180 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62631&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002003 Number: 3 X-File-Ref: http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/References.ashx?idArticolo=62631 Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Adele Finco Author-Name: Deborah Bentivoglio Author-Name: Giorgia Bucci Title: Lessons of Innovation in the Agrifood Sector: Drivers of Innovativeness Performances Abstract: Nowadays innovation is a central driver of economic growth and productivity. The capacity to innovate is a strategic tool for those firms that want to maintain their competitive position in the global market. This is especially true for the agrifood sector that is the largest manufacturing sector within the EU and is one of the main drivers of the EU economy, contributing to both economic output and employment. Nevertheless, the agrifood sector has traditionally been viewed as a low-tech sector with slow rates of innovation respect to other sectors. When defining innovation in the agro-food domain different dimensions should be dealt with as new feeding systems, new types of packaging, new types of conservation, new additives, new consumer products introduced continuously on the market and food chain management. In this context, Horizon 2020 and new Common Agricultural Policy (cap) 2014-2020 emphasize the role of innovation. In details, the new Rural Development Policy introduced some new instruments as the European Innovation Partnership (eip), the Operational Groups (OGs) and different technological clusters to encourage and transfer the innovation over the coming decade. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it aims to identify the role of a Regional Cluster in spreading innovation in the associated firms. Second, this study seeks to identify determinants of innovation by analysing a sample of agrifood SMEs associated in Cluster Agrifood Marche. To obtain the necessary information for this study, a web questionnaire was developed and send by mail to Cluster Agrifood Marche members. In addition, a liner regression model is used to analize the determinants of innovation. This study highlights that Small Size Agrifood Firms can not individually achieve innovation. Small farms show a strong interest in innovation, but they stress that it is a difficult task due to some constraints. Therefore, Cluster are seen as successful way to develop new innovation strategies and to increase the competitiveness. Moreover, the results suggest that innovation is not a random process. The propensity for innovation depends both on each firm characteristics and on several variables. Classification-JEL: Q18, 031, L22 Keywords: Note: Pages:181-192 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62632&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002004 Number: 4 X-File-Ref: http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/References.ashx?idArticolo=62632 Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Samuele Trestini Author-Name: Carlotta Penone Title: Transmission of futures prices to the Italian spot market: Are there opportunities to hedge corn price risk? Abstract: Agricultural commodity prices have been recently characterized by a high degree of volatility, which results in a higher exposure to price risk for farmers. Among different commodities, corn represents the main crop produced in Italy. The study aims at estimating price transmission of three futures markets - specifically French (matif), US (cbot) and Hungarian (bse) - to Italian (Bologna) spot prices by the estimation of restricted Error Correction Models (ecm). This allows discussing the opportunity for Italian farmers to hedge price risk through the adoption of such risk management tools. Price transmissions were estimated based on a ten-year (2007-2016) and five-year (2012-2016) time series of weekly prices. For all the considered markets, the five-year model better explained Bologna spot prices and was thus considered for the subsequent evaluations. To assess a hypothetical unevenness in price transmission during the crop year, ecm has been estimated for a pre-harvest and post-harvest period. The results highlight that the level of price transmission is higher for post-harvest period compared to the pre-harvest one. This is true for all the considered futures markets with the exception of the cbot, where pre-harvest model performed better than post-harvest one. Estimating a multi-market model, where Bologna spot price variation depend on all considered futures market, results suggest that Italian corn prices depend most on the matif and bse in the post-harvest period, while in the pre-harvest period, the cbot plays the main role in price transmission. Classification-JEL: G32, Q17, Q11 Keywords: Note: Pages:193-204 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62633&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002005 Number: 5 X-File-Ref: http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/References.ashx?idArticolo=62633 Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Maria Bonaventura Forleo Author-Name: Luca Romagnoli Author-Name: Nadia Palmieri Author-Name: Angela Di Nocera Title: Assessing the efficiency of aquaculture cooperatives. A country case study Abstract: The aquaculture sector contributes to global food supply and provides an important source of animal protein. Even though the Italian sector has a great potential, from 2008 to 2014 the total volume decreased by 8%. Efficiency improvements may be one factor able to foster the development of the sector. The study aims to estimate the efficiency of the Italian aquaculture cooperatives that represent an important segment of the sector, and to assess differences in efficiency scores according to farms size and location. Descriptive statistics for the population of Italian cooperatives were showed based on budget data. An output oriented Data Envelopment Analysis was carried out for a sample of cooperatives. Results showed a great variability among firms in terms of budget and efficiency indicators. Around 40% of firms registered an efficient value under the variable return to scale hypothesis, and about 21% under the constant return to scale hypothesis. Study findings showed that there is an ample room for improving firms? efficiency. Size is more important than location in relation to the performance of cooperatives. Cooperatives of smaller size and units located in the Italian Northern regions showed a greater inefficiency. Classification-JEL: Q22, D24, L250 Keywords: Note: Pages:205-220 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62634&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002006 Number: 6 X-File-Ref: http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/References.ashx?idArticolo=62634 Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Maria Rosita Cagnina Author-Name: Marta Cosmina Author-Name: Gianluigi Gallenti Author-Name: Francesco Marangon Author-Name: Federico Nassivera Author-Name: Stefania Troiano Title: The role of information in consumers? behavior: A survey on the counterfeit food products Abstract: The presence of counterfeit food appears to be rising and has not been opposed by close cooperation between producers, governments, or consumers organizations concerned with trade, health, and counterfeiting. The aim of this study is to identify and classify the relationships between the purchase of counterfeit food and the consumers? characteristics in order to provide public and private decision makers a support in deciding strategies to counteract this problem. To reach this objective a survey was carried out in Italy during 2014-2016 with a sample of 405 consumers. A multiple correspondence analysis has been carried out. The preliminary findings point out the presence of different groups of consumers illustrating heterogeneous behaviors toward counterfeit food. In addition, the results point out that the purchase of counterfeit food seems to be linked to lower income and a lack of information. Due to negative public effects of this phenomenon, it seems to be necessary to prevent dishonest trading and counterfeit food productions encouraging cooperative approaches to provide consumers with sufficient information to improve their awareness. Classification-JEL: Q18, Q13, D12 Keywords: Note: Pages:221-231 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62635&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002007 Number: 7 X-File-Ref: http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/References.ashx?idArticolo=62635 Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Elena Claire Ricci Author-Name: Alessandro Banterle Title: The effects of expo Milano 2015 on consumer food choices Abstract: The role of individual behaviour for tackling environmental issues is increasingly becoming more topical. Therefore, consumer attitudes and behavior related to environmentally friendly practices need to be investigated further. This paper evaluates the effect of expo Milano 2015 on consumer awareness of the impacts of their day-to-day food choices and on their food behaviour. Data were collected via in person interviews in Milan (Italy) and analysed via ordinal regression models. Results suggest that international events with strong media coverage may be useful for engaging the segments of population that are not already aware and proactive on the matter. Classification-JEL: D12, Q01, Q18, Q56 Keywords: Note: Pages:233-244 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62636&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002008 Number: 8 X-File-Ref: http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/References.ashx?idArticolo=62636 Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Luciano Sangiovanni Author-Name: Aurel Baiesu Title: Moldavian wine industry, between legal reforms and economic challenges Abstract: The Moldavian wine industry is experiencing a transition from a model based almost on export toward a cis country, (Community of Independent States) Russia, in particular, is the one where the export goes to different markets. Russian embargoes and the Association Agreement, which includes the dcfta (Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area), have been the two turning points in the last ten years. Since September 2014, the dcfta entered into force, allowing the Moldavian exporter to have access to the largest single market of the world, the European Union. In this article, we analyze the changes in the legal framework regulating the wine industry, which took place in the last few years and were necessary to set the base for a competitive and pro-business environment. We also address the economic effects on the Moldavian wine industry in the area of free trade with the EU (dcfta). In order to do this, we consider the most important provision covered in the dcfta, to understand better what is all about, the old Law governing the sector, and delineate in details the new Law, which was approved by the parliament of the Republic of Moldova in 2012, and entered into force in 2013, to reform and innovate drastically the legal framework governing wine business. In the end, we make a comparison between wine export value, before and after the dcfta, trying to understand the future trend and what Moldavian producers will need to do in order to diversify their markets, thus increasing on a permanent basis the total value of export. Classification-JEL: F15, F13 Keywords: Note: Pages:245-260 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62637&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002009 Number: 9 X-File-Ref: http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/References.ashx?idArticolo=62637 Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Paola Scocco Author-Name: Sergio Rivaroli Author-Name: Francesca Mercati Author-Name: Federico M. Tardella Author-Name: Alessandro Malfatti Author-Name: Elena De Felice Author-Name: Andrea Catorci Title: Anatomy for economy: Starting from the rumen keratinization degree to enhance the farm income Abstract: This short note presents the economic sustainability of food supplementation as an essential way to contrast the rapid rumen keratinization in sheep fed on the pasture during the summer in Apennine Mountains of Marche region, a region of Central Italy. Grazing is a main tool for biodiversity conservation, however, there is a risk of pasture abandonment due to the climate changes leading to an increasing summer aridity that negatively affect forage features; worsening in forage composition resulted in decline of sheep body status, mainly due to the rise of fiber content, which causes the increase of rumen keratinization degree. During summer, the deterioration of the body condition of sheep is the main cause of the declining milk yield and quality; this can have serious impacts on farm household income, enhancing the risk of pasture abandonment with consequent environmental and territorial degradation. A flock of 45 adult female sheep were conducted on pasture at the beginning of June 2016, where they were free to grazing until the moment of pasture maximum flowering. From this moment until the maximum pasture dryness the animals were divided in two groups: the control group fed only on the pasture, while the experimental group was also supplemented with 600 g/day/animal of corn and barley (1:1). The rumen epithelium keratinization degree, Body Condition Score and milk production were monitored at the beginning and at the end of the period of differentiated diets. The food supplementation didn?t affect the animal body state, but it slow down the growth of the rumen keratinization degree, allowing a better absorption of nourishing principles and then bringing to a significant increase of the milk production. An analysis of cost/benefit, attempted also considering the newborn numerousness, indicated that food supplementation could mitigate the productive loss induced by summer aridity preserving the economic sustainability of sheep milk production, thus avoiding land abandonment. Classification-JEL: Q01, Q54, Q57, R11, Z32 Keywords: Note: Pages:261-272 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62638&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002010 Number: 10 X-File-Ref: http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/References.ashx?idArticolo=62638 Template-type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Comitato di Redazione Title: Norme per autori e collaboratori/Dichiarazione sull?etica e sulle pratiche scorrette nella pubblicazione dei lavori scientifici Abstract: Classification-JEL: Keywords: Note: Pages:273-284 Volume: 20 Year: 2018 Issue:2 File-URL:http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista.aspx?IDArticolo=62639&Tipo=Articolo PDF File-Format: text/HTML Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ECAG2018-002011 Number: 11