Profitability of leek (Allium porrum L.) in three production systems

Given that the demand for organic produce vegetables has increased and the production of vegetables is spreading to less favourable agroecological areas due to the lack of land available for agriculture, leek is an ideal vegetable which could meet these conditions. The effect of conventional, integrated and organic crop management systems on yield and economic efficiency and marketability in leek production were evaluated in a two year experiment in a mountainous region (Lika) of Croatia. Fertilization and cultivation were carried out in compliance with the main principles of conventional, integrated and organic crop management systems. Compared with the crop of organic and integrated production the conventional production was by 2% and 69% higher, respectively. Total production costs under conventional practice were 10 to 11% higher than under either integrated or organic production systems because of higher material costs (mineral fertilizers and pesticides). With respect to market prices of organic vegetables, which are usually 30% higher than those of conventional and integrated vegetables, integrated production turned out to be the most profitable leek production reaching US$4,822 ha(-1), while the conventional system was 35% lower, $3,113 ha(-1). Compared with the integrated system the lower profit margin under conventional production is the consequence of higher production costs, which did not generate proportional returns or higher yields of crops. Since the market prices were inadequate and yield considerably lower (lower by 41% than conventional and by 39% than integrated), organic production had losses averaging $771 ha(-1).