Willingness to Pay for Pesticides' Environmental Features and Social Desirability Bias: The Case of Apple and Pear Growers

Abstract

We conducted a discrete-choice experiment using direct and indirect valuation to determine the value apple and pear growers place on environmental features when choosing pesticides to control for first-generation codling moth. Apple growersÕ willingness-to-pay (WTP) to decrease the probability of pesticide toxicity to natural enemies was $26.03/acre under direct valuation and $26.60/acre under indirect valuation. Pear growersÕ WTP was $40.06/acre under direct valuation and $33.37/acre under indirect valuation. We found no evidence of social desirability bias, since differences across WTP obtained through either valuation were not statistically significant. Our results underscore the importance of understanding context when investigating social desirability bias.

Keywords

• biological control
• discrete choice experiments
• social desirability bias