Economic factors affecting on introduction and dissemination of IPM and integrated fruit production in Hungary

Lehota, József – Szabó, Zoltán – Lehota, Zsuzsanna

Keywords: integrated apple production technology, risks of pesticide residues, mitigation of risks, social and civil groups

Agricultural production technologies are undergoing significant changes due to consumer and technological risks associated with the intensive and industrial technologies. These changes include the spreading of the so-called low input technologies. In this process the role of sustainable technologies – such as integrated fruit (apple) production - have increased as well. From 2014 onward it will be mandatory to use the new technologies in the EU member states. Out of the groups affecting the introduction of new technologies, fruit producers and their POs and sales organisations play an important role. Our research looked at the spreading of integrated pest management and integrated apple production technologies. Based on our findings we concluded that the spreading of new technologies was fundamentally driven by governmental control (state subsidies) while the role of professional organisations, retail and wholesale companies and other organisations was marginal.

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