University of Minnesota, Duluth
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Cuba’s Tropical Fruit Industry
No full textCuba’s tropical fruit industry primarily caters to domestic markets with fresh fruits that are Cuban diet staples. Plantains and bananas account for over 70 percent of production. Tropical fruit production fell with Cuba’s collapsing economy in the early 1990s. With ideal climate and land resources, production potential remains high. Production and demand will both recover and grow as Cuba’s economy recovers. If commercial relationships with the United States were restored, Cuba could initially look to U.S. sources for quality tropical fruits for Cuba’s growing tourist market. Eventually, as Cuba’s economy and its tropical fruit sector recover, the United States could provide new market opportunities for an increasingly competitive Cuban tropical fruit sector
What business are you really in? The four economic models redefining agricultural retail
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Discussion on the Soil and Water Conservation Model in Mountain Photovoltaic Power Generation Project
No full textIn the context of rising global energy demand and increasing awareness of environmental protection, photovoltaic power generation, as a clean and renewable form of energy, has become increasingly important and has received widespread attention and application worldwide. However, during the construction and operation of mountain photovoltaic power generation projects, water and soil erosion has become a major challenge, which not only restricts the sustainable development process of the project, but also has a significant negative impact on the local ecological environment. This article deeply analyzes the multiple causes, extensive impacts and effective prevention and control strategies of water and soil erosion in mountain photovoltaic power generation projects. The results show that rainfall intensity, terrain slope, soil type and vegetation coverage are the four key factors leading to soil erosion. Soil erosion not only causes a sharp decline in soil fertility, but also aggravates the problem of sediment deposition in rivers and reservoirs, and poses a direct threat to the stability and operating efficiency of photovoltaic equipment. In order to deal with the above problems, this paper innovatively puts forward a series of soil and water conservation technologies, covering multiple dimensions such as engineering measures, plant measures, farming measures and temporary measures, and deeply discusses the application models and management strategies of these measures in key stages such as planning and design, construction, operation and maintenance. Through specific case analysis, the successful practical experience of soil and water conservation is refined and summarized, and the key role of community cooperation, technical support and modern monitoring technology in preventing and controlling soil and water erosion is further emphasized. This article aims to achieve a win-win situation of ecological environment protection and energy development and utilization through scientific planning and effective governance, and contribute to the construction of a green, low-carbon, and sustainable energy system
Optimization of Peanuts with Yingshan Yunwu Tea Flavor Using Response Surface Methodology
No full textYingshan Yunwu tea was a characteristic agricultural product in Hubei Province. It possesses special flavor and great taste. However, the lack of Yunwu tea products made it lose competition in the market. In this study, the peanuts with Yingshan Yunwu tea flavor were cooked, and the effect of factors on the sensory test was investigated. The single-factor experiment was performed to study all factors on the sensory score of the peanut, including tea amount, salt amount, sugar amount, flavor amount and cooking time. Then, response surface methodology with the Box-Behnken design were carried out, and the optimal formulation composition was 100 g peanuts, 500 mL of water, 25 g tea, 5 g salt, 8 g sugar and 1 g tea flavor with a sensory score of 94.3 points. This study demonstrated that the peanuts with Yingshan Yunwu flavor could be a valuable product for the market and contribute to promoting practical application of Yingshan Yunwu tea
Economic viability of irrigated and densely planted forage palm production in the semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte.
No full textThe semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte can be an excellent alternative for implementing irrigated and densely planted palm production projects, as much of its territory has a climate unfavorable to rainfed cultivation of this crop. Irrigation and high-density planting emerge as an economically viable alternative for investors. Thus, the objective was to study the economic viability of irrigated and densely planted forage palm production in the semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte. Based on data analysis, the production cost per hectare in the municipality of Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte, was considered. The project analyzed investment, maintenance costs, profitability, and estimated growth over eight years. Through cash flow analysis, considering a minimum attractive rate of return of 8%, the Net Present Value [NPV], Internal Rate of Return [IRR], and payback period were obtained, as well as the break-even point calculation. The project was considered economically viable, with a net present value (NPV) of R 22,552.20, which accumulated over eight years could reach R$ 158,319.80. Based on the payback period, the investor would recoup the initial investment in one year and nine months. The minimum productivity required for this profit was 70,103 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹
Business Intelligence in agribusiness: a case study of implementation in a startup.
No full textCompany databases often originate from diverse sources, making it difficult to transform data into information. The structuring of a Data Warehouse (DW) and Business Intelligence (BI) tools facilitate this transformation. The objective of this work was to conduct a case study in an agroforestry startup to analyze and monitor the installation of BI tools. Through interviews with responsible professionals, the installation of operational systems and the structuring of the DW were monitored. The work allowed for the tracking of the structuring of each of the operational databases and the observation of improvements in the quality and speed of information available to decision-makers
Relationship between the price of beef and the price of animals sold in Cuiabá, MT
No full textThe production cycles of the beef supply chain are influenced by several factors that affect the prices paid by the slaughterhouse to the producer and the retail prices of beef. The aim of this study was to verify the behavior and determine the relationship between the price per kg of the main cuts of beef and the price per arroba (a Brazilian unit of weight) traded in the Cuiabá region, in the state of Mato Grosso. The variables studied were the price per arroba of fat steers and fat cows in the Cuiabá region, and of the cuts: sirloin, rump, top round, chuck, shank, and brisket, in the state of Mato Grosso. A descriptive analysis was performed, determining the correlation coefficients and regression analysis, using data available in weekly bulletins from the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics, from November 2013 to October 2016. High and significant correlation coefficients were obtained between the prices of the cuts and the price per arroba of steers and cows. The regression equations generated showed high coefficients of determination. The behavior of cut prices varies over time, as prices are affected by the price per arroba of finished cattle and finished cows. These, in turn, have their prices influenced mainly by the supply of breeding stock for slaughter, the climate, and economic factors. The prices of the studied beef cuts are strongly and positively related to the prices per arroba of finished cattle and finished cows, allowing their estimation from empirical models
Assessment of the risks involved in corn and soybean production in the municipalities of Mato Grosso.
No full textAgriculture operates with production instability mainly due to unpredictable factors affecting the crop. For this reason, insurance companies have difficulty quantifying the exact risk associated with producing municipalities, especially in the state of Mato Grosso. There are no clear studies associated with the segmentation and quantification of this risk on a smaller scale. Given this fact, this work sought to quantify and segment the production risk of corn and soybeans in the state of Mato Grosso through cluster analysis. For the grouping of means, the non-hierarchical clustering methodology called K-means was adopted, resulting in seven clusters. The risk associated with each cluster was estimated based on the calculation of the coefficient of variation of the average corn and soybean productivity among the municipalities. The work showed variation in the risk rate among the clusters, mainly considering corn productivity; The municipalities in cluster number 3 (Porto Alegre do Norte, Serra Nova Dourada, Santa Terezinha, Jangada, Barra do Bugres, and Porto Estrela) presented the highest risk rates (10.2%) and can be disregarded from the insurance companies' credit portfolio; and, for soybeans, the risk rates among the clusters were similar due to the productive stability so far. In this scenario, it is suggested that insurance companies work with lower premiums and introduce subsidy programs for rural insurance in those municipalities with high individual risk
Diagnosis of rice crops in Rio Grande do Sul: 2004/2005 vs. 2014/2015 harvests
No full textThis study evaluated the financial results and respective investment capacities of 1,217 irrigated rice fields, under a minimum tillage system, simultaneously participating in the 2004/05 and 2014/15 growing seasons in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Sensitivity analysis was applied, considering different scenarios for the components of variable costs, fixed outlay costs, and productivity behavior. In the investment analysis, the 2004/05 growing season presented a negative Net Present Value (NPV) in all simulations, while the 2014/15 growing season, with variable costs and operating expenses below 10%, and without a reduction in productivity of 5% or more, presented a positive NPV. Consequently, the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and the Discounted Payback Period (DPP) were favorable for the acquisition of a combine harvester, the object of analysis for the Net Cash Flow (NCF) of the proposed investment