Straw management is an important issue for many developing countries. In China, straw return is an effective way of straw management, involving substantial financial subsidies and impacts on public welfare through environmental improvements. The public plays a significant role as a financial source and beneficiary, and sustainable straw return policies need to respond to the public's interests and concerns. Assessments of the public's heterogeneous preferences and willingness to pay can provide useful social insights into straw return policies. However, public opinion has not received sufficient attention. To fill this gap, this study utilized random parameter logit and latent class models based on a choice experiment survey data to assess willingness to pay and preference heterogeneity for environmental benefits of straw return. The results show that urban residents were willing to pay 20.71 CNY, 17.37 CNY, and 11.79 CNY, respectively, for increasing 1% soil organic matter content, clean air days, and chemical fertilizer reduction through straw return. Respondents' preferences were significantly influenced by their socioeconomic and cognitive characteristics. Specifically, respondents with higher income and more understanding of straw return policy have a significant preference for more attributes; older, lower-income, and less understanding groups have a significant preference for fewer attributes. The findings will not only enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of straw return policies, helping to form sustainable straw return policies, but also highlighting the necessity of broadening the scope of analysis for sustainable agricultural practices to provide a more comprehensive assessment, especially for developing countries facing straw management problems.
Keywords: Choice experiment; Latent class model; Preference heterogeneity; Random parameter logit model; Straw return; Willingness to pay.
Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.