UNDERSTANDING THE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF STRAWBERRY FARMING IN NORTH CAROLINA

Abstract

In the field of vegetable and fruit production, Strawberry is a high value product, that shows potential economic benefits for growers. In North Carolina, strawberry farming shows a strong growth potential, where most producers sell directly to consumers through pick-yourown, roadside stands, and some commercial and industrial levels. This study attempts to understand and evaluate the economic potentials of strawberry production in North Carolina, using data for the period of 1980 – 2018. Data was collected from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences (NCDA&CS), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Census & U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Ordinary least squares method was used to estimate the parameters of the Cobb-Douglas production function to analyze data. The results indicate significant and positive relationships of strawberry farming with changes in labor and household income. Furthermore, the results indicate that production is decreasing as the number of strawberry farms decreases, while production per acre is increasing. The results imply that strawberry farming is supported by the increase in price per CWT (Price per 1000 pounds) of strawberries. Policies to enhance strawberry production with other supportive services can provide more economic benefits to North Carolina strawberry farmers.

Keywords

• economic sustainability
• strawberry farming
• north carolina