PALUDICULTURE FINANCIAL MODEL

This calculation system allows you to compare the profitability of different crops, based on crop yield calculations. Note: This is a beta version developed specifically in a Dutch context, with the exact values still under deliberation.

Additional Context:

For arable farming scenarios, a traditional crop rotation of grains, potatoes, sugar beets, and onions is usually the most profitable, and the crop yield calculation is simply the crop yield minus the allocated or direct costs (costs required to grow and harvest the crop, primarily seed, pesticide, harvesting, and storage costs). For dairy farming scenarios, crop yield calculations can be performed per cow as well as for grass or maize cultivation. Indirect costs such as equipment costs are not considered here because tractors, implements, and barns can be used for different crops.

Paludiculture Scenarios:

Throughout Europe, peatlands have traditionally been drained for agriculture. Drained peat soils subside and release significant greenhouse gases, so the peatland must be rehydrated in order to mitigate this. Several projects are investigating the feasibility of growing crops on wet peat soils (paludiculture), so this tool also performs cost-benefit calculations for crops on wet peat soils. Example: Suppose a dairy farmer can no longer grow grass due to waterlogging, but can grow cattail. We want to know if this is sufficiently profitable, since cattail cultivation is new and still fraught with uncertainty, leading dairy farmers to take a very critical view.