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Prof. Laura Martínez-Carrasco
University Miguel Hernández of Elche

Basic Info


Research Keywords & Expertise

0 Consumer Behavior
0 Food Marketing
0 Rural Development
0 Local Food Systems
0 Sustainable food consumption

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Short Biography

Laura Martínez-Carrasco has been a senior lecturer at the University Miguel Hernández in Spain since 1999, where she has taught Marketing and Agricultural Economy for more than 20 years. She received her PhD in Agricultural Economics from Miguel Hernández University in 2002. Dr. Martínez-Carrasco’s academic interests are in agri-food markets and rural development. She has been involved in different research projects studying consumer and producer decision-making towards agri-food products (such as organic, fair trade, local food, traditional varieties). She has published numerous papers in national and international journals, (Food Policy, British Food Journal, Food Quality and Preference, Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, etc.) and she is a reviser for different JCR Journals. She is a member of the Spanish Association of Agricultural Economists and the Spanish Association of Organic Agriculture.

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Journal article
Published: 13 April 2021 in Water
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The Vega Baja region lays on the lower course of the Segura River (southeastern Spain). It is one of the six traditional “huerta” European landscapes and has an ancient, extensive, and complex network of irrigation and drainage channels. The accumulation of floating waste causes numerous economic, environmental, and landscape problems in its irrigation infrastructures, hindering farmers’ water management practices. This work classifies and estimates the total volume of floating waste at various points along the Segura River and its irrigation channels as a first systematic approach to define and quantify the problem of floating waste accumulation. Aerial images taken by a drone were analyzed over time and a manual count of residues was performed on selected points. The results obtained show that reeds and residues of riparian vegetation represent more than 95% of the floating debris volume measured on the riverbed. Anthropogenic waste, which represents less than 5% of debris volume, was characterized, finding that plastics of domestic sources are the most abundant by count (14.9%) and only a reduced part of the floating waste can be attributed to agricultural activities (3.8%). Assessing the type and origin of the floating waste is essential to inform the actions required in order to avoid the floating waste reaching the Mediterranean Sea.

ACS Style

Carmen Rocamora; Herminia Puerto; Ricardo Abadía; Margarita Brugarolas; Laura Martínez-Carrasco; José Cordero. Floating Debris in the Low Segura River Basin (Spain): Avoiding Litter through the Irrigation Network. Water 2021, 13, 1074 .

AMA Style

Carmen Rocamora, Herminia Puerto, Ricardo Abadía, Margarita Brugarolas, Laura Martínez-Carrasco, José Cordero. Floating Debris in the Low Segura River Basin (Spain): Avoiding Litter through the Irrigation Network. Water. 2021; 13 (8):1074.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Carmen Rocamora; Herminia Puerto; Ricardo Abadía; Margarita Brugarolas; Laura Martínez-Carrasco; José Cordero. 2021. "Floating Debris in the Low Segura River Basin (Spain): Avoiding Litter through the Irrigation Network." Water 13, no. 8: 1074.

Journal article
Published: 08 December 2020 in Foods
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Health, financial, and social crises cause variations in the buying behaviour of food consumers as well as in the value they assign to food attributes and the place of purchase, leading to consumers with profiles that are more susceptible to these changes than others. Thus, it was observed that 61.4% of consumers modified their buying behaviour at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with those who modified it the most being the people who stockpiled the most food and went panic buying more often. This has made it possible to establish the profile of different significant consumer segments, and as a response, food production/distribution companies can implement different innovative strategies aimed at decreasing the impact of stockpiling and, therefore, the shortage of food. The possible strategies that companies can put into effect are creating a stock of non-perishable foods, increasing production capabilities in a sustainable way and, especially in light of the results obtained, boost the online sale and distribution of foods, with the goal of decreasing the amount of people in shops (which decreases the spreading of the pandemic and favours health) and preventing consumers from observing possible circumstantial shortages that would only encourage stockpiling and panic buying, even among consumers who have not changed their buying behaviour.

ACS Style

Margarita Brugarolas; Laura Martínez-Carrasco; Adrián Rabadán; Rodolfo Bernabéu. Innovation Strategies of the Spanish Agri-Food Sector in Response to the Black Swan COVID-19 Pandemic. Foods 2020, 9, 1821 .

AMA Style

Margarita Brugarolas, Laura Martínez-Carrasco, Adrián Rabadán, Rodolfo Bernabéu. Innovation Strategies of the Spanish Agri-Food Sector in Response to the Black Swan COVID-19 Pandemic. Foods. 2020; 9 (12):1821.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Margarita Brugarolas; Laura Martínez-Carrasco; Adrián Rabadán; Rodolfo Bernabéu. 2020. "Innovation Strategies of the Spanish Agri-Food Sector in Response to the Black Swan COVID-19 Pandemic." Foods 9, no. 12: 1821.

Journal article
Published: 02 June 2020 in Sustainability
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Agricultural activity has changed significantly in recent years. There is a clear trend towards monoculture and the replacement of traditional crops for others which are more productive and achieve better economic results. These factors have two fundamental consequences: on the one hand, the abandonment of agricultural activity, with the subsequent loss of rurality; on the other hand, a negative effect on the maintenance of biodiversity, because traditional varieties disappear. In this context, this paper analyses the situation of consumers and farmers of a traditional crop in the southeast of Spain: the tomato. In order to understand the current situation and the forecasted future, a choice experiment was conducted on 217 tomato consumers. Furthermore, 40 tomato farmers of this area underwent an in-depth interview. On the one hand, analysis of the consumer study established a potential segment of the population that prefers traditional varieties due to their high organoleptic properties. Meanwhile, the farmer study revealed a segment of this population that is willing to produce these types of crops. Therefore, the possibility that a certain sector of producers cultivates traditional varieties is suggested, and for these varieties to be aimed at a market niche that values them positively, making the activity of Small and Medium Enterprises (agricultural SMEs) profitable. This would improve the sustainability of the rural territory and would strengthen the preservation of genetic heritage.

ACS Style

Cristian Pérez-Caselles; Margarita Brugarolas; Laura Martínez-Carrasco. Traditional Varieties for Local Markets: A Sustainable Proposal for Agricultural SMEs. Sustainability 2020, 12, 4517 .

AMA Style

Cristian Pérez-Caselles, Margarita Brugarolas, Laura Martínez-Carrasco. Traditional Varieties for Local Markets: A Sustainable Proposal for Agricultural SMEs. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (11):4517.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cristian Pérez-Caselles; Margarita Brugarolas; Laura Martínez-Carrasco. 2020. "Traditional Varieties for Local Markets: A Sustainable Proposal for Agricultural SMEs." Sustainability 12, no. 11: 4517.

Journal article
Published: 29 May 2020 in Foods
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Determining the preferences of food consumers is key for adapting supply and demand. This adaptation of supply is dynamic rather than static, given that it develops over time and is influenced by both social and economic factors. This work presents an analysis of the development of lamb meat consumption at two points in time, 2004 and 2014, before and in the midst of the economic crisis in Spain (2007–2017). Our findings show that together with the external appearance and against the backdrop of an economic recession, price has a greater impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions than origin and quality seals, despite these being attributes that are traditionally used as a guarantee of food safety and traceability. This suggests that in times of economic crisis consumer preferences shift towards attributes that are less related to product quality. Nonetheless, the comparison of the consumer segments for each of the years under study revealed that age and level of education are the socioeconomic factors that most influence the preferences of lamb meat consumers.

ACS Style

Adrián Rabadán; Laura Martínez-Carrasco; Margarita Brugarolas; Casilda Navarro-Rodríguez De Vera; Estrella Sayas-Barberá; Rodolfo Bernabéu. Differences in Consumer Preferences for Lamb Meat before and during the Economic Crisis in Spain. Analysis and Perspectives. Foods 2020, 9, 696 .

AMA Style

Adrián Rabadán, Laura Martínez-Carrasco, Margarita Brugarolas, Casilda Navarro-Rodríguez De Vera, Estrella Sayas-Barberá, Rodolfo Bernabéu. Differences in Consumer Preferences for Lamb Meat before and during the Economic Crisis in Spain. Analysis and Perspectives. Foods. 2020; 9 (6):696.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Adrián Rabadán; Laura Martínez-Carrasco; Margarita Brugarolas; Casilda Navarro-Rodríguez De Vera; Estrella Sayas-Barberá; Rodolfo Bernabéu. 2020. "Differences in Consumer Preferences for Lamb Meat before and during the Economic Crisis in Spain. Analysis and Perspectives." Foods 9, no. 6: 696.

Journal article
Published: 13 March 2019 in Boletín de la Asociación de Geógrafos Españoles
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El paisaje agroforestal del ENP “La Muela, Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán” (Cartagena-España) aparece como resultado de una histórica adaptación a las culturas locales. Mediante el análisis cualitativo de entrevistas a actores sociales, expertos locales y gestores del territorio, apoyadas en el estudio documental, este trabajo persigue conocer la interacción de los procesos socioterritoriales con el riesgo de “musealización” del paisaje rural. Nuevos pobladores y visitantes, muchos de ellos extranjeros europeos, ejercen funciones inéditas en el territorio, al tiempo que retrocede la importancia de la población local en la gestión activa del paisaje. El gran incremento en la demanda de viviendas –vacacionales o dormitorio- derivada de la proximidad a Cartagena y el atractivo de sus paisajes, y los cambios en su distribución y tipología arquitectónica, contrastan con el ajuste tradicional de la población a las posibilidades agrarias. Mientras crece la intervención en el paisaje del ecoturismo y, sobre todo, del deporte en la naturaleza, retroceden las tradicionales actividades agropecuarias debido al difícil reemplazo generacional, la sequía y la escasa rentabilidad. Las políticas de gestión y planificación del ENP no han desarrollado los instrumentos participados para invertir el proceso de “musealización” de un paisaje difícilmente conservable sin la actividad antrópica.

ACS Style

José Martínez Sánchez; Laura Martínez-Carrasco Martínez. Procesos socioterritoriales de un paisaje rural en riesgo de “musealización”: el ENP la Muela, Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán (Cartagena, España). Boletín de la Asociación de Geógrafos Españoles 2019, 1 .

AMA Style

José Martínez Sánchez, Laura Martínez-Carrasco Martínez. Procesos socioterritoriales de un paisaje rural en riesgo de “musealización”: el ENP la Muela, Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán (Cartagena, España). Boletín de la Asociación de Geógrafos Españoles. 2019; (80):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

José Martínez Sánchez; Laura Martínez-Carrasco Martínez. 2019. "Procesos socioterritoriales de un paisaje rural en riesgo de “musealización”: el ENP la Muela, Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán (Cartagena, España)." Boletín de la Asociación de Geógrafos Españoles , no. 80: 1.

Journal article
Published: 02 December 2015 in Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research
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Choosing a valid procedure to measure willingness to pay (WTP) is crucial for designating optimum price policies or for evaluating the demand for new products. This study compares two methods for obtaining WTP in a food context: a random nth price auction and an open-ended contingent valuation (CV) question. Participants were regular salad tomato buyers of Alicante and they were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments. The products about which they would show their WTP were traditional tomato varieties. Both treatments were divided into three stages: in the first stage the only available information was a reference price for the tomatoes. In stages 2 and 3 we revealed the local origin and the organic grown of the tomatoes respectively. Our results show that in the auction the percentage of participants willing to pay the same or more than the reference price was between 20 and 30%. In the CV method this percentage was between 40 and 65%. The mean WTP in the auction, considering the whole of the individuals, was situated between 1.90 and 2.13 €/kg. These same results obtained through the CV were situated between 2.54 and 3.21 €/kg. The results confirmed the findings of previous papers in which the hypothetical bias of CV was clarified because it yields higher values for WTP than the auction, especially when referring to the number of individuals willing to pay more. Additionally, hedonic price models were estimated for the prices obtained by both methods with the result that in all the models, WTP was directly related to the price paid for the latest purchase of tomatoes.

ACS Style

Laura Martínez-Carrasco; Margarita Brugarolas; Africa Martinez-Poveda; Juan J. Ruiz-Martínez. Comparing hypothetical versus non-hypothetical methods for measuring willingness to pay in a food context. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research 2015, 13, e0109 .

AMA Style

Laura Martínez-Carrasco, Margarita Brugarolas, Africa Martinez-Poveda, Juan J. Ruiz-Martínez. Comparing hypothetical versus non-hypothetical methods for measuring willingness to pay in a food context. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research. 2015; 13 (4):e0109.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Laura Martínez-Carrasco; Margarita Brugarolas; Africa Martinez-Poveda; Juan J. Ruiz-Martínez. 2015. "Comparing hypothetical versus non-hypothetical methods for measuring willingness to pay in a food context." Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research 13, no. 4: e0109.