Assessing the Impact of Covid-19 on Farm Profitability in Czechia and Slovakia: A Comparative Dupont Analysis Using Firm-Level Data

Jana HinkeDirk Beyer

DOI 10.7160/aol.2026.180104
No 1/2026, March
pp. 43-52

Hinke, J. and Beyer, D. (2026) "Assessing the Impact of Covid-19 on Farm Profitability in Czechia and Slovakia: A Comparative Dupont Analysis Using Firm-Level Data", AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 43-52. ISSN 1804-1930. DOI 10.7160/aol.2026.180104.

Abstract

This study evaluates the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural profitability in Czechia and Slovakia, distinguishing between crop, livestock, and mixed farms. Using firm-level financial data from the Orbis database, an extended DuPont model incorporating labour efficiency is employed to compare profitability drivers pre- (2018–2019) and during (2020–2021) the pandemic. The findings reveal persistent national differences and highlight labour efficiency as a stabilising factor, underscoring agricultural resilience and the importance of structural efficiency in mitigating shocks.

Keywords

Profitability, agriculture, COVID-19, DuPont, RoE, labour productivity, financial leverage.

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