This paper compares the performance of conventional and organic fruit farms in Spain, using a set of base indicators to assess their economic and environmental performance on a per hectare basis. Composite indicators are also calculated to measure the overall economic and environmental performance of both production systems. Comparisons are made using propensity score matching to minimize the non-randomization biases caused by structural differences between the samples of conventional (n = 552) and organic (n = 127) fruit farms sourced from the Spanish Farm Accountancy Data Network (RECAN). The results based on per hectare metrics point to modest changes in the performance of farms that converted to organic farming. This is mainly because most converted farms were former conventional farms characterized by lower profitability and less intensive input use, consequently minimizing the effects of the conversion process. Nevertheless, the conversion outcomes exhibit a degree of variability depending on the specific type of fruit production. Economic gains are only discernible in the case of nut farms, whereas fruit and tropical fruit farms tend to yield the most favorable results per hectare from an environmental perspective.

中文翻译：

---

转向有机农业：它会改变果园的经济和环境绩效吗？

本文比较了西班牙传统水果农场和有机水果农场的绩效，使用一组基本指标来评估其每公顷的经济和环境绩效。还计算综合指标来衡量两个生产系统的整体经济和环境绩效。使用倾向得分匹配进行比较，以最大限度地减少源自西班牙农场会计数据网络 (RECAN) 的传统 (n = 552) 和有机 (n = 127) 水果农场样本之间结构差异引起的非随机偏差。基于每公顷指标的结果表明，转变为有机农业的农场的绩效略有变化。这主要是因为大多数改造农场以前都是传统农场，其特点是盈利能力较低，投入使用强度较低，从而最大限度地减少了改造过程的影响。然而，根据水果生产的具体类型，转化结果表现出一定程度的变化。经济收益只有在坚果农场才能显现出来，而从环境角度来看，水果和热带水果农场往往每公顷都能产生最有利的结果。