Making Use of Sustainable Local Plant Genetic Resources: Would Consumers Support the Recovery of a Traditional Purple Carrot?

Azucena Gracia, Ana María Sánchez, Francesc Jurado and Cristina Mallor
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Azucena Gracia: Unidad de Economía Agroalimentaria y de los Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Avda Montañana, 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
Ana María Sánchez: Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Zaragoza, Spain
Francesc Jurado: Unidad de Economía Agroalimentaria y de los Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Avda Montañana, 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
Cristina Mallor: Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Zaragoza, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 16, 1-17

Abstract: Local plant genetic resources are of vital importance for the resilience of the agroecosystems, especially under conditions of global climate change. The diversification of production using these resources is postulated as an alternative for the development of rural areas with non-optimal farming conditions and/or disadvantaged by depopulation. However, in order to sustainably utilize local genetic resources, their use has also to provide products accepted by consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate consumer acceptance of a local purple carrot that is a Spanish landrace at risk of genetic erosion from Teruel, a province in the Aragón region seriously affected by depopulation and extreme weather conditions, to contribute to its sustainable recovery. Consumer preferences for carrots with different characteristics (color, price, variety, and production system) were studied, and their willingness to pay (WTP) for the local purple carrots was assessed. Data from a survey conducted in this Spanish region was used. We identified two segments of consumers with different willingness to pay, hedonic liking, and intention to purchase the purple local carrots. These traditional purple carrots would be accepted by the segment of consumers more willing to pay for and more likely to purchase these carrots. The traditional purple carrots should be promoted, emphasizing that they are produced by a local landrace whose purple color is due to anthocyanic pigments with known antioxidant properties.

Keywords: carrot landrace; abiotic stress; choice experiment; preferences; willingness to pay; Aragón (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:16:p:6549-:d:398447

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