Evaluation of the Economics of Vegetable Cultivation Under Conventional and Alternative Production Systems

The economic evaluation of production is the main indicator for a grower in determining the suitability of a cultivation system. Every producer naturally tries to minimize their inputs—costs—and maximize the profit from their production. During the observed period, we recorded economic indicators such as costs, revenues, and subsidies for the cultivated types of vegetables in the selected enterprise. For their evaluation, a linear optimization model of the production structure with several variants was constructed. Based on the calculated average profits, conclusions can be drawn that cultivation using the integrated method is economically more advantageous than traditional (conventional) cultivation. This is mainly due to the optimized method of applying fertilizers and protective substances, as well as appropriate timing and application dosage in cases of water scarcity. Subsidies that support integrated production also have a significant impact on profit. Comparison of the cultivation of selected crops (potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage) in the conventional and integrated systems was evaluated based on economic indicators. The aim was to point out the economic advantage of one of the growing systems.