marktopbrengst

Marktopbrengst is a term used in Dutch agricultural economics and farm management to describe the economically optimal marketable yield of a crop or animal product under current market conditions. It distinguishes the biological yield (the total harvest) from the portion that can be sold profitably after meeting quality standards, processing, and logistics requirements. The marktopbrengst reflects where expected profit is maximized rather than where biological potential is highest.

Calculation and use: To estimate the marktopbrengst, price forecasts, variable costs, and handling losses are combined to evaluate profit for different yield levels. A typical formulation is Profit(y) = Price(y) × y − Costs(y). The yield that yields the highest Profit(y) is considered the marktopbrengst. In practice, prices may depend on yield level due to contracts, quality grading, and supply chains, so price is often modeled as a function of quantity. The concept also incorporates risk and discount rates for storage, spoilage, and quality discounts.

Applications and context: Marktopbrengst is used in farm planning, crop budgeting, and investment decisions, helping farmers allocate land, choose varieties, and time harvest. Extensions services, advisors, and policymakers employ the concept to assess profitability under different price scenarios and policy conditions.

Limitations: The marktopbrengst is contingent on assumed market conditions and cost structures, which can be volatile. It may not capture non-economic values, such as sustainability or risk aversion. It should be used as one of several tools in decision making.

Related topics include yield optimization and break-even analysis.