Author(s) :

Hongcheng (Michael) Gu.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

This study evaluates the marginal economic and agronomic impact of integrated rice-duck (IRD) farming within organic systems by comparing matched IRD and non-IRD organic farms in Jiangsu, China. The question is whether IRD, when organic status and market channels are held constant, delivers field gains or mainly provides market advantages. This distinction matters for growers, buyers, and policy because investment, extension, and labeling hinge on the source of returns. Outcomes were measured with shared procedures and per mu normalization: milled yield from mill recovery sheets, grain quality from a single inspection laboratory, full cost accounting by task, and realized profit from verified sales during a defined window. Pre-specified sensitivity checks varied milling recovery, wage schedules, and observed price ranges. Per mu milled yield at the IRD site was lower by around 150 kg per mu, while milling recovery was about 2 percentage points higher; physical grain quality was comparable. Total cost per mu was higher under IRD, driven by land rent and weeding. Despite the higher cost base, realized profit per mu in the sales window was higher for IRD because unit prices were higher in IRD channels. These contrasts held in sensitivity analyses. Within organic systems, IRD’s near-term advantage appears primarily commercial rather than agronomic. Practice should optimize weed suppression (duck density, timing, water depth) and safeguard price premiums through certification, traceability, and buyer relationships. Multi-season, cultivar-controlled studies with full season revenue accounting are needed to test durability.