Using a Mixed Probit Model

A mixed probit model was applied to survey data toanalyze consumers’ wilingness to buy apples with cosmetic damage caused by the sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) disease complex. The analysis finds consumers will pay a premium for organic production methods and for apples with low amounts of SBFS damage. Behavioral variables such as experience in growing fruit significantly affect the willingness to buy apples of diferent damage levels. Consumers’ tolerance of very blemished apples is limited and they trade off production technology attributes for cosmetic appearance. Better understanding of this trade-of is important to organic producers’ decisions about disease control.