Blockchain-Enabled Traceability and Hedonic Price Determinants for Organic Pineapple Exports from Ghana’s Akwapim South District

{ "background": "Global demand for organic produce is rising, yet smallholder exporters in developing nations often struggle to capture commensurate price premiums. A key barrier is the inability to verifiably demonstrate product provenance and organic integrity to distant buyers, leading to information asymmetry and market inefficiency.", "purpose and objectives": "This study investigates whether implementing blockchain-enabled traceability (BET) systems influences the price premiums obtained by organic pineapple exporters. It specifically analyses the hedonic price determinants for exports from a key producing region.", "methodology": "We employed a hedonic pricing model, specified as $Pi = \\beta0 + \\beta1 BETi + \\sum{k=2}^{n} \\betak Z{ki} + \\epsiloni$, where $Pi$ is the export unit price, $BETi$ is a binary variable for blockchain use, and $Z_{ki}$ is a vector of other pineapple attributes and exporter characteristics. Primary data were collected via a structured survey of exporters. Estimation used robust standard errors to account for heteroscedasticity.", "findings": "Exporters utilising BET systems secured a statistically significant price premium of 18.7% (95% CI: 12.3%, 25.1%) compared to non-users, ceteris paribus. Other significant determinants included certification body reputation and fruit brix level. Farm size was not a significant price factor.", "conclusion": "Blockchain-enabled traceability is a significant and positive determinant of export prices for organic pineapples, effectively allowing producers to capitalise on the value of verifiable provenance.", "recommendations": "Policymakers and development agencies should prioritise support for piloting and scaling affordable BET solutions tailored to smallholder exporter cohorts. Export associations should develop capacity-building programmes focused on data integrity for blockchain systems.", "key words": "hedonic pricing, blockchain, traceability, organic agriculture, export markets, smallholders", "contribution statement": "