Abstract:
S.A.STEPA is one of the first ecological farms in Constantza county and in Romania. Founded in 1991 by 52 associated landowners the farms practice ecological agriculture since 2000 year. Cultivated aria is 300 ha arable land situated in one of the driest zone of the county, less then 400 mm rainfall by year, but the yearly average of temperature is more than 10.5oC. The typical soil is a light brown steppe soil, coarse textured, medium content in humus incompetent supply in natrium and phosphorus and medium content in potassium. The crop technology is no irrigated one. The main crops cultivated are: wheat, burley, vetch, sun-flower, foodmillet, mustard, foenicullum and some aromatic and medicinal species. The crop technology follows the rules of the ecological agriculture without chemical fertilizer and pesticides. The yields are about 30% less than in conventional agriculture but the technological expenses are smaller too, owing to lack of the chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The prices of the ecological products are generally greater so that ecological agriculture is usually more profitable than conventional agriculture in this part of the country. Average for all the farm, we have: - Income ………………………………448 €/ha - Expenses ……………………………283 €/ha - Profit ………………………………. 165 €/ha - Rate of profit……………………… 58.3 % These figures indicate a higher level of efficiency than in conventional agriculture in this part of the country. At present all production is exported in Germany, France, United Kingdom, because in Romania an ecological market is missing yet.
