Adoption of biodegradable mulching films in agricultural: is there a negative prejudice towards materials derived from organic wastes?

In recent decades, one of the problems affecting the environment has been the increased use of plastics in agriculture, often illegally performed by open burning in the fields. The adoption of biodegradable products may represent an important opportunity to increase the environmental sustainability of agricultural sector. The goal of this study is to estimate the farmers’ willingness to pay for innovative biodegradable mulching films. A sample of 120 horticultural farms in the Province of Foggia (Apulia Region, Italy) has been surveyed by a questionnaire. The survey results demonstrate a substantial interest by farmers towards products made with innovative materials.