Are farmers willing to pay for bio-plastic products? the case of mulching films from urban waste

The adoption of mulching films containing substances derived from chemical treatment of urban and agricultural wastes (SBOs) can be considered, at the moment, a possible solution to pollution from the use of plastics in agriculture. This research aims to identify the factors influencing farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for SBOs films. A survey was conducted in 2014 in the province of Foggia and involved a random sample of 107 horticultural farms. Econometric regression using Heckman's sample-selection model was performed. In line with the theory of the diffusion of innovation, findings show that the adoption of SBOs films is higher among farmers who already use the mulching technique; among them, those farmers using conventional films are willing to pay a premium price for the innovative films. In addition, findings show that durability and strength are relevant attributes positively affecting farmers' WTP.