Evolution of development models of Italian organic citrus

Italian organic farming has been experiencing an intense development phase in the last ten years, arising the interest at economic, political and social levels for its general effects on the population. In order to design the development models and understand the current differences between organic and traditional growing, the present study made a comparative analysis of homogeneous models. The complexity of such analysis grew directly proportional with that of the production process of each single farm, and the variety of indicators of the energy demand of the two production methods according to a structure based on the main inputs introduced in the production process. Results showed interesting differences between organic and traditional methods. Such differences should become the starting point to exalt the plus of organic farming for consumers, politicians, business men, along the sector and in general within society, to offer a different role than today's organic farming.