Profitability of Artichoke Growing in the Mediterranean Area

Abstract

Cultivation of artichokes for production is significant in the Mediterranean Basin. Italy represents an important productive hub and in this context, Sicily has been one of the foremost production areas. Artichoke production is a stable element of either specialized or mixed production systems in the region. However, due to the economic recession and increasing imports of artichokes from North African countries, many companies are undergoing crisis, with concerns for the negative impact on the socioeconomic fabric, in terms of the rising unemployment an eventual collapse of this specific activity would determine. According to the theory of economic development, a prerequisite of a territory’s development is that its economic enterprises be competitive. Ensuing from this hypothesis, this article analyzes the profitability of artichoke production in the Mediterranean. The study was conducted in Sicily, an island in the heart of the Mediterranean, where its cultivation is a long-standing tradition. Our results showed a low profitability for artichoke cultivation in relation to the unfavorably high production costs, whereas the low market prices also reflect the competition from countries of North Africa.