COSTS AND PROFITABILITIES IN THE ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTION VEGETABLES IN ESPÍRITO SANTO STATE

Abstract

The aim of this study was to perform a comparative evaluation of the physical and financial indicators of the two cropping systems of ten species of vegetables by analyzing the relative share of the various components of their costs of production. We used a database of 20 years, from 1990 to 2009, of the Reference Area in Agroecology in the INCAPER, located in the Domingos Martins City, Espírito Santo State. The organic system confirmed large economic viability, with average production cost per hectare 8% lower than the average conventional vegetables. Spending on hand labor was slightly lower in the organic system and proved to be the component of greater participation in the costs of both production systems. The organic squash, strawberries, cabbage and tomato showed lower costs than conventional systems. Conventional systems produce garlic, potatoes and okra showed lower costs than organic systems. Crops of carrots, peppers and yam have similar costs in organic and conventional systems. All vegetable crops in organic farming showed higher net revenues to the conventional, with ratios ranging from 1.1 for strawberry until 28.4 for cabbage.