The Italian olive industry is undergoing a structural crisis, and despite the continuing increase in world demand, oil prices on international markets remain at low levels with often unsatisfactory results for the domestic producers. The limited size of olive groves, the location of many in sloping terrain, the limited renewal of plants, agronomic management is not always best represent some of the limiting factors. In the pursuit of cost effectiveness and aware of the potential production of many national intensive olive groves, we should define patterns productive reference to suggest what is considered the reference technique, able to optimize yields and incomes. The estimate of production costs and income arising from it is a useful element of judgment for the manufacturer is in comparison with its cost of production, both for the analysis of the differences between technologies be adopted with respect to production areas.

Energy production from anaerobic digestion of organic waste and dedicated digestable biomass is a promising climate change mitigation option. Over the last ten years anaerobic digestion has become established in many European countries. The plants have been developed for renewable energy generation, but also to control the emission of odors from zootechnical farms and to stabilize biomass before its agronomic use. In Italy the subsidies available for power generation from biomass have given rise to renewed interest in biogas, creating new opportunities for the agricultural and livestock sectors. Despite of this, in Southern Italy the manure is highly dispersed over a large number of small-size cattle farms, while power generation facilities are affected by scale economies and the aggregation of input biomass is a major logistic, managing, economic and environmental drawback towards the diffusion of such technologies. In this paper, an investment decision methodology for the assessment of optimal size and feedstock mix of biogas power plants fed by cattle manure and energy crops is presented. The methodology is applied to one of the most promising basins of Puglia region, in Southern Italy, represented by the Municipalities of the Local Action Group “Terra dei Trulli e del Barsento”, Province of Bari. The main factors influencing the profitability of these investments are assessed, with biogas power plant size ranging between 50 kW and 1 MW, and on the basis of the recently introduced feed-in tariff scheme for such plants (D.M. 6 July 2012). The results show that a high manure recovery rate, the reuse of biogas slurry and the cogeneration options are major key factor for the profitability of the investments.

A comprehensive economic analysis of the associated costs and benefits derived from wastewater treatment is a prerequisite for ensuring long-term economic, environmental, and social sustainability. This study aims to improve the economic evaluation of wastewater reuse. A methodological framework is presented for the application of cost-benefit analysis to wastewater project plants. The method considers two alternative scenarios for the irrigation use of treated water: (i) for newly irrigated land; and (ii) as an alternative to current groundwater sources. A case study is carried out in Puglia, Southern Italy, where two thirds of irrigation water comes from groundwater. The results show that improved urban wastewater treatment would increase the regional availability of irrigation water by 60 million m3 per year, about 10% of the overall irrigation water demand. While treatment costs are highly dependent on the incoming effluent quality and plant size, the benefits are quite stable. These results point to a case-specific analysis, whereby the economic convenience of wastewater reuse could be assessed against the local context.

Recent olive cultivation in Mediterranean Countries is characterised by the strong diffusion of high-density cropping systems and by the most environmentally conscious management regarding all the agronomic practices and the waste disposal as well. This research has investigated the possibility of the use of De-Oiled Pomace (DOP) as an eco-friendly tool for weed control in a high-density olive orchard providing an environmental comparison with other soil management techniques. Five methods of weed control have been compared in a two-year experimental orchard at the Bari University (Southern Italy): mulching with de-oiled olive pomace (DOP), nonwoven tissue (TNT) and polyethylene film (PEN), chemical (CHI) and mechanical (MEC) weeding, on the three most adapted to high-density orchards olive cultivars (Arbequina, Arbosana and Koroneiki). The data collected during the experimental test are submitted to an LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) analysis and five scenarios have been drafted based on DOP use and destinations. The results showed that the chemical wedding produced the greatest environmental burdens, and the higher environmental performances of DOP mulching scenarios for all environmental indexes, with burdens reductions and/or environmental credits. The presence in the following years of some biomarkers sensitive to macro and micro pollutants and heavy metals, in experimental plots mulched with DOP, confirmed the high environmental sustainability of this technique, excluding any kind of soil pollution in the medium-term period in the high-density olive orchard.

Il lavoro si propone di valutate la capacità competitiva del sistema agroalimentare pugliese dinanzi alla sfida posta dalla creazione dell'area di libero scambio euro-mediterranea. Dopo aver tracciato il quadro strutturale dell'agroalimentare regionale vengono analizzate le due filiere maggiormente sensibili ai possibili cambiamenti dello scenario competitivo. In particolare sono state prese in esame le filiere dell'olio d'oliva e dell'uva da tavola che rappresentano, allo stesso tempo, le produzioni di punta dell'agroalimentare pugliese e quelle più esposte alla competizione esercitata dai paesi della sponda Sud del Mediterraneo. Gli effetti della liberalizzazione sulla competitività regionale dipendono dalle modalità di armonizzazione delle regole di origine e saranno presumibilmente differenziati a seconda della fase della filiera considerata, oltre che dalle strategie adottate dalle singole imprese.

The Italian olive-growing sector has to face both the growing competition on the international olive oil mar-ket and the shift of the common agricultural policy (CAP) from market and price policies towards direct aids decoupled from production. In addition the olive growers, as other farmers, have to comply with stricter obligations to manage their farms in sustainable ways (cross compliance). In this scenario the sector needs new competitive strategies to address these new challenges. In this paper we assess if innovative olive-growing models, like the high trees density orchards, are able to reduce production costs without worsening environmental sustainability. Indeed the intensive olive systems produce higher yields within a few years of planting and allow a higher level of mechanization (pruning and harvesting) but they could generate higher environmental impacts. In this study we perform an economic and environmental comparison between two olive growing systems: the "high density" and the “super high density”. The analysis integrates the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methods by using a common database.

The Italian olive-growing sector has to face both the growing competition on the international olive oil market and the shift of the common agricultural policy (CAP) from market and price policies towards direct aids decoupled from production. In addition the olive growers, as other farmers, have to comply with stricter obligations to manage their farms in sustainable ways (cross compliance). In this scenario the sector needs new competitive strategies to address these new challenges. In this paper we assess if innovative olive-growing models, like the high trees density orchards, are able to reduce production costs without worsening environmental sustainability. Indeed the intensive olive systems produce higher yields within a few years of planting and allow a higher level of mechanization (pruning and harvesting) but they could generate higher environmental impacts. In this study we perform an environmental and economic assessment of two olive-growing systems: the “High Density” (HDO) and the “Super High Density” (SHDO). The analysis integrates the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methods by using a common database. The environmental analysis carried out through LCA has shown a better performance of the HDO system for all the impact categories, due to a lower use of energy and chemical inputs and to higher olive yields. Also from an economic point of view the HDO could be considered more convenient than the SHDO: in fact, despite the lower operating costs of the latter due to the complete mechanization of pruning and harvesting operations, these costs are counterbalanced by higher initial investment costs that the company has to face which are three times those of the HDO system. The total result is that the Net Present Value is better for the HDO for each olive price level. This result is mainly driven by lower plantation costs, longer production cycle, higher production of olives and higher efficiency in the use of inputs which characterize the HDO model.

This paper aims at showing the explanatory potential of network methods applied to the analysis of country level competitiveness within specific productive sectors. More specifically, we focused on each country position within the network of international commodity trade relationship, assuming that this influencesits country level competitiveness

This paper aims at showing the explanatory potential of network methods applied to the analysis of Country level competitiveness within specific productive sectors. More specifically, we focused on each Country’s position within the network of international commodity trade relationships, assuming that this influences its Country level competitive advantage. We based this statement on Ronald Burt’s theory of "structural holes" which, if existent within a network, grant to those agents occupying the holes the chance to manage a strategic resource which becomes a competitive advantage. In order to test this hypothesis we applied network analysis to the international virgin olive oil trade network, represented as a weighted, directed network (wdn).

Con questo lavoro si è inteso contribuire a colmare le gravi carenze conoscitive tuttora esistenti in merito alla struttura produttiva e alle capacità competitive della filiera olivicola-olearia della Puglia, un sistema produttivo che riveste una fondamentale importanza nella economia agroalimentare regionale e meridionale e che, nello stesso tempo, svolge un ruolo di primo piano nella organizzazione della intera filiera nazionale. L’analisi ha preso le mosse dallo studio della struttura produttiva e dei risultati economici della fase agricola elaborando i bilanci dei diversi sistemi olivicoli aziendali. La metodologia utilizzata ha permesso di tener conto del complesso “mosaico” di realtà territoriali che compongono la olivicoltura regionale, evidenziando l’articolazione e differenziazione territoriale dei risultati. Il calcolo del costo totale medio di produzione degli oli nei diversi sistemi aziendali ha permesso di documentare la situazione di assoluta insostenibilità economica degli attuali livelli di prezzo per tutte le tipologie di aziende olivicole che utilizzano i mercati all’ingrosso del prodotto sfuso quale sbocco commerciale prevalente od esclusivo. L’analisi delle fasi successive della filiera ha permesso di ricostruire gli aspetti strutturali ed organizzativi delle fasi industriali della filiera analizzandone anche il grado di competitività attraverso lo studio degli scambi commerciali internazionali. Infine, una particolare attenzione è stata prestata alla verifica della funzionalità ed efficacia dei due principali strumenti di valorizzazione degli oli di oliva di qualità certificata e cioè le produzioni da agricoltura biologica e quelle con marchio DOP.

Il processo di disaccoppiamento dei pagamenti diretti erogati dalla PAC sta modificando la struttura e la competitività del settore olivicolo italiano. Il cambiamento dello schema di pagamento unico aziendale da modello storico a modello regionale, come proposto dalla Commissione europea nel documento sulla valutazione dello stato di salute della PAC (Health Check), potrebbe ulteriormente influire su questo settore e minacciare la sopravvivenza delle aziende olivicole attive nelle aree marginali. L’obiettivo di questo studio è, pertanto, quello di valutare gli effetti delle ipotesi di revisione della PAC sui risultati economici delle imprese olivicole dell’Italia meridionale ed in particolare della Puglia, che costituisce una delle più importanti regioni olivicole italiane. La metodologia utilizzata per stimare gli impatti economici dei possibili scenari di riforma è l’analisi di bilancio economico, applicata ai Sistemi Olivicoli Rappresentativi (SOR) individuati e caratterizzati all’interno di area olivicole omogenee sub-provinciali. L’analisi svolta dimostra che la regionalizzazione dei titoli comporterebbe il peggioramento dei redditi per tutte le tipologie aziendali considerate, più elevato per lo scenario cosiddetto di “ravvicinamento completo” rispetto alla “regionalizzazione al 50%”. L’impatto negativo sul reddito netto aziendale sarebbe maggiore nel caso delle aziende olivicole di media dimensione e per quelle localizzate nelle aree marginali.

This research investigates the potentials of olive tree pruning residues and olive oil pomace recovery for energy conversion purposes in Apulia Region. In the first part, the theoretical potentials assessment is carried out, on the basis of the land use and typologies of olive cultivation and olive oil production. In the second part, the biomass supply costs are analyzed, by means of literature data, markets analyses and interviews with field operators. The different harvesting, handling and transport pathways for olive pruning residues are also explored. In the third part, the non technical barriers towards the energy conversion of such biomasses in Puglia are discussed, while in the last part the techno-economic feasibility assessment of a 1 MWe cogeneration plant with Organic Rankine Technology and fed by olive pruning residues is proposed, in light of the current legislative framework and different plant configuration scenarios.

Nonostante abbia perso il primato mondiale a favore della Spagna, la produzione di olio di oliva continua a rivestire un ruolo fondamentale nella filiera agro-alimentare italiana, in modo particolare nelle regioni meridionali. In queste ultime si concentra il 79,5% della superficie e circa il 90% della produzione olivicola nazionale che, nel 2009, è stata stimata dall'Istat pari a oltre 36 milioni di quintali di olive (34 milioni di quintali sono quelle raccolte). Secondo l'ultima indagine Istat (ISTAT 2008) sono circa 776 mila le aziende che coltivano olivi, mentre la superficie totale, nel 2010, ammontava ad oltre 1.183.000 ettari. Al 2008, secondo dati Agea, risultano attivi in Italia 4.966 frantoi, la maggior parte dei quali (70%) localizzati al Sud. Tra questi le strutture cooperative svolgono un ruolo di rilievo, soprattutto in Puglia e nelle regioni olivicole dell'Italia centrale. Secondo un'indagine curata da Unaprol (2005) l'84% dei frantoi utilizza il sistema di estrazione continuo per centrifugazione, mentre è sempre minore il numero di frantoi che utilizza il sistema per pressione (15%). Infine, solamente l'1% delle aziende adotta un sistema di estrazione per percolamento (associato ad una successiva estrazione per centrifugazione). In questo articolo, si fornisce una panoramica delle tipologie di residui olivicolo-oleari disponibili in Italia per una valorizzazione energetica ed una preliminare stima dei quantitativi nazionali. Vengono inoltre discusse le principali problematiche allo sviluppo del settore dell'energia da biomassa con particolare riferimento alla filiera olivicolo-olearia.

Since 2013, a large area of the province of Lecce is affected by the spread of the quarantine bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which infects olive trees. To date, the disease affects about 18,900 hectares (20% of the province territory) in which there are almost 2.1 million of olive trees (20% of the olive-groves of Salento). The damage to olive firms relates to the direct loss of income due to the death of the trees. Furthermore, noteworthy is the economic importance of olive sector in the area. The objective of this work is the analysis of the economic impacts of the infection to the olive groves of Salento, with reference to the immediate damage (irreversible loss of affected plants) as well as to the changes in farming techniques introduced by the guidelines of Apulia Region in order to prevent the spread of the infection. In addition, the study focuses on the monetary valuation of the benefits loss, due to the impact of disease on the olive tree landscape of the area.