Biomass energy production is a priority for the global economy in terms of ensuring the premises for sustainable development. The current context, determined by increases in energy costs, involves the identification of applicable and eco-intensive measures by which the use of biomass in productive activities will reduce the level of pollution and, implicitly, global warming. Progress of the bioeconomy is intercorrelated with the dimension of agriculture, which is the major provider of biomass for food, feed, and other bio-based industries. The agricultural sector in the last decades is characterized by an increase in energy production and consumption, with direct consequences on the environment. Biomass is for Romania, a renewable energy source, particularly valuable, both in terms of potential and in terms of future use, through complementarity with the sustainable development programs of the state that aim to develop the capacity of production and the creation of well-being. This research aims to estimate the energy efficiency of three types of COP farms (which cultivate cereals, oilseeds, and protein crops) of different physical sizes, and the analysis of the potential energy generated by energetical cultures, with emphasis on biomass energy. The energy balance at the farm level remains a very important method to determine the efficiency of agricultural systems and for the assessment of potential energy from biomass. With this study, we emphasize the need to support a more sustainable demand for biomass and to make the bioeconomy market more competitive.

At the European level, potato cultivation is highly polarized. In Western Europe (Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark), yields are high, agricultural technology is advanced, and production systems ensure stability and competitiveness. In contrast, in Eastern and Southern Europe (including Romania, Poland, Italy, and Spain), yields are considerably lower due to the use of outdated agricultural practices, a low degree of mechanization, and increased exposure to adverse climatic factors. In Romania, potato cultivation is marked by significant territorial disparities and structural imbalances, influenced by land fragmentation, agro-pedoclimatic variability, and the lack of capital necessary for investments in modern technologies and irrigation systems. This study analyzes these regional disparities in relation to the country’s real agricultural potential and quantifies the economic impact of its failure to realize it. The methodology applied is based on descriptive statistical analysis of data at the county and regional level for the period 2003–2024, including minimum, maximum, average, and standard deviations of yields. These were integrated into a production function that correlates cultivated areas with average prices, highlighting major intra-regional differences and significant economic consequences at the national level. The results indicate a double crisis: a drastic reduction in the areas cultivated with potatoes (from 196,000 ha in 2017 to 76,000 ha in 2024) and consistently low yields (12,000–18,000 kg/ha), which led to the collapse of total production (from 3.1 million tons in 2017 to under 1 million tons in 2024). As a result, Romania registers a productivity three to four times lower than the reference Western European countries. Moreover, Romania has moved from being a net exporter to a net importer of potatoes, with the food self-sufficiency indicator decreasing from 100.3% in 2017 to 48.1% in 2023. Although domestic production could theoretically cover consumption needs, structural problems regarding yields, the sharp reduction in cultivated areas, and distribution deficiencies have seriously affected the balance of the domestic market. While per capita consumption has remained relatively constant, the decline in production has led, after 2021, to an increasing dependence on imports. These trends highlight the need for urgent structural reforms, technological modernization, and targeted agricultural policies to increase productivity and restore food security in the Romanian potato crop system.

An important plant for human nutrition, the potato is grown in all the countries of the European Union. Although it is considered a cold seasonal crop, it can be cultivated in many regions, on different soil types, because the planting period varies depending on the variety, the area and the destination of the crop. It can also be adapted to warmer regions if a uniform amount of water is ensured during the growing season. Classification of potatoes is based on color, vegetation period, quality and usage. The most common species is the white potato, Solanum tuberosum. The paper presents data on the production and marketing of potatoes for human consumption in the European Union. The reference period is from 2010 to 2018. In this study, the following indicators were analyzed: potatoes-cultivated areas, total production and average production, potatoes sale prices, the main potatoes importers and exporters worldwide. The surfaces of organic potato farms, as well as the obtained productions are also mentioned. As a result of the analysis, we can see that the areas cultivated with potatoes at European Union level, the total production and the average production have decreased in this period. The main growers in 2018 were Poland, Germany and France, and the main producers were Germany, France and Poland. Denmark had the highest value for average production in the same year. In Germany, the largest area occupied by organic potato-growing farms was registered in 2017, and the largest organic production was obtained in The Netherlands. The Netherlands, France and Germany were the world's leading potatoes exporters in 2018, and Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain were the main importers. The processed information was retrieved from specialized sites, among which we mention: Eurostat and ITC.

Tomato production is a strategic horticultural sector in Europe, yet it is increasingly exposed to climate variability, input-price volatility, and structural heterogeneity among national production models. This study provides a macro-level, cross-country assessment to benchmark structural performance and derive country typologies of tomato systems in 15 European countries over 2015–2024 using harmonized public statistics on cultivated area, production, and derived yields. A Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE)—informed interpretive lens is used to frame yield level and interannual yield variability as transition-relevant performance signals, while acknowledging that farm- and territory-level TAPE scoring cannot be replicated with aggregated national data. The analysis combines descriptive benchmarking, trend-adjusted yield stability metrics, area–production relationship diagnostics, and multivariate classification (principal component analysis and Ward hierarchical clustering) to identify coherent national performance profiles. Results show pronounced cross-country contrasts and three recurring macro-patterns: (i) high-yield, low-dispersion systems with stable trajectories; (ii) transitional systems with lower yields and broader distributions; and (iii) high-dispersion systems indicating structural or climatic instability. The resulting typology supports differentiated policy discussion on adaptation, modernization priorities, and transition enabling conditions, and highlights the need to link macro-statistics with comparable agroecological indicators at farm and regional scale for stronger inference on transition pathways.