Economic Analysis of Biochar Use in Soybean Production in Poland
Agnieszka Ewa Latawiec,
Agnieszka Koryś,
Katarzyna Anna Koryś,
Maciej Kuboń,
Urszula Sadowska,
Maciej Gliniak,
Jakub Sikora,
Adam Drosik,
Marcin Niemiec,
Agnieszka Klimek-Kopyra,
Maciej Sporysz,
Boguslaw Usowicz,
Bruna Medeiros
Affiliations
Agnieszka Ewa Latawiec
Department of Geography and Environment—Rio Conservation and Sustainability Science Centre, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, R. Marquês de São Vicente, 225–Gávea, Rio de Janeiro 22451-000, Brazil
Agnieszka Koryś
Faculty of Technical and Economic Sciences, The Witelon University of Applied Sciences in Legnica, Sejmowa 5A, 59-220 Legnica, Poland
Katarzyna Anna Koryś
International Institute for Sustainability, R. Dona Castorina 124, Rio de Janeiro 22460-320, Brazil
Maciej Kuboń
Department of Production Engineering, Logistics and Applied Computer Science, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Mickiewicza Av. 21, 30-120 Kraków, Poland
Urszula Sadowska
Department of Machinery Exploitation, Ergonomics and Production Processes, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Łupaszki 6, 30-198 Kraków, Poland
Maciej Gliniak
Department of Production Engineering, Logistics and Applied Computer Science, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Mickiewicza Av. 21, 30-120 Kraków, Poland
Jakub Sikora
Department of Production Engineering, Logistics and Applied Computer Science, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Mickiewicza Av. 21, 30-120 Kraków, Poland
Adam Drosik
Institute of Political Science and Administration, University of Opole, Katowicka 89, 45-061 Opole, Poland
Marcin Niemiec
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, University of Agriculture, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
Agnieszka Klimek-Kopyra
Department of Agroecology and Plant Production, University of Agriculture, Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
Maciej Sporysz
Department of Production Engineering, Logistics and Applied Computer Science, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Mickiewicza Av. 21, 30-120 Kraków, Poland
Boguslaw Usowicz
Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
Bruna Medeiros
International Institute for Sustainability, R. Dona Castorina 124, Rio de Janeiro 22460-320, Brazil
Soybean (Glycine max L.) is one of the most important crops grown globally. Biochar has been proposed as an alternative to aid sustainable soybean production. However, comprehensive studies that include both the economic aspects of soybean production and biochar are scarce. Poland, with an economy largely based on agriculture, is an interesting case to investigate the cost-effectiveness of using biochar in soybean production. We show that the use of biochar at rates of 40, 60 and 80 t/ha is unprofitable compared with a traditional soil amendment, such as NPK fertilization. The breakeven price for biochar to be economically viable should be USD 39.22, USD 38.29 and USD 23.53 for 40, 60 and 80 Mg/ha biochar, respectively, while the cost of biochar used for this experiment was USD 85.33. The payback period for doses of 40 and 60 Mg/ha was estimated to be three years. With a carbon sequestration subsidy of USD 30 per ton of CO2, the use of biochar may be profitable in the first year of soybean production. This is the first comprehensive economic analysis of the use of biochar in soybean production in Poland and one of the few published worldwide.
