Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

N. Bytyqi, E. Skreli, A. Vercuni, D. Imami and E. Zhllima:

Analyzing Consumers’ Preferences for Apples in Pristina, Kosovo

Summary

This paper aims to cast light on consumer preferences for apples in Pristina, Kosovo, by applying a Conjoint Choice
Experiment. For this purpose consumers were classified in four groups, depending on which category they favoured:
variety (color), price, origin, and type (organic vs. non organic). The results showed that variety is by far the most
important attribute for three out of the four identified consumer classes. Organic is the most important attribute for
the largest consumer class, which entails more than half of the consumers of the survey sample. Origin is also an important attribute for the largest consumer class – there is a significant preference for domestic apples. Reliable local branding development, combined with organic production promotion, as well as support through reliable third party certification, should be considered for the enforcement of business strategies and support policies. Key words: Apples, conjoint choice experiment, consumer preferences, Kosovo.