Proprietary Varieties’ Influence on Economics and Competitiveness in Land Use within the Hop Industry

To evaluate changes to hop industry concentration and competitiveness the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) was used. The ownership of proprietary varieties, their acreage production were compared with public varieties. Market share for each variety calculated between 2000 2020. quantity land under centralized control in U.S. due increased 2020 quantified. Assuming tacit collusion participants oligopoly, HHI enabled us quantify portion oligopoly control. analysis demonstrated that market rose rapidly years 2010 (0.0376 0.0729) (0.4927 0.5394). This resulted decreasing business within during this period caused primarily by rapid consolidation increases. Calculations revealed 2016 a tipping point had been reached concerning concentration, which higher sustained season average prices hops—a key raw material brewing.