Certified and stable? Price and yield volatility under voluntary sustainability standards in Peru

Empirical study
Journal article

Authored by Eva Boonaert,Eva-Marie Meemken,Miet Maertens

Summary

Prior research analyzes the economic effects of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS)—such as Fairtrade, Organic, and GlobalGAP—but little is known about the stability of these effects over time. Using a nationally representative farm survey of Peru (2015–2019), this study analyzes whether VSS certification is associated with reduced inter-annual price and yield volatility. Applying pooled OLS, matching, and internal instruments, we find that certification is associated with 27% lower price volatility and 17% lower yield volatility, particularly benefiting family farms, translating into an 81% reduction in their net farm revenue volatility. The results highlight VSS' potential to enhance revenue stability.
Research detail

Certified and stable? Price and yield volatility under voluntary sustainability standards in Peru

Empirical study
Journal article

Published April 2026 by Wiley & Agricultural & Applied Economics Association. Authored by Eva Boonaert, Eva-Marie Meemken and Miet Maertens