Prevalence of the application of integrated pest control and integrated production techniques in fruit (apple) production in Hungary

Lehota, József – Szabó, Zoltán – Lehota, Zsuzsanna

Keywords: integrated crop protection, integrated fruit production (apples), questionnaire survey and expert interviews, producers, POs, wholesalers and retailers

The introduction of integrated crop protection and integrated fruit (apple) production technologies in commercial production and its development into a marketing strategy are indispensable if the risks relating to chemical residues are to be mitigated. In the framework of the 6th Network of Excellence programme we reviewed the conditions of the introduction of the technologies and the role of retail chains in seven countries. The methods used in the study included questionnaire survey and the conducting and evaluating of semi-structured expert interviews. The components of consumer behaviour were studied on a sample of 328 customers (of a hypermarket and a supermarket), in expert interviews with employees of two retail chains in charge of purchasing goods, with 6 fruit (apple) suppliers (3 wholesalers and 3 POs), as well as 11 fruit growers. Domestic and international experience was compared and evaluated in the course of the research.

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