bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Commodity price stabilisation: macroeconomic impacts and policy options
Authors: Kannapiran Chinna A. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractA macroeconometric simulation study is undertaken to evaluate the impact of commodity price stabilisation (CPS) schemes for the export tree crop industry in Papua New Guinea. The findings suggest that there is a negligible level of favourable macroeconomic impacts of CPS. Contrary to the expectation, CPS adversely affects the stability of monetary and external sectors (BOP). CPS policy has failed to stabilise the macroeconomy. The price stabilisation policies are no longer appropriate from the macroeconomic point of view. Technical change, futures market and rural savings are the possible alternative policy options to manage the price risk.
Determining farm effects attributable to the introduction and use of a dairy management information system in The Netherlands
Authors: Tomaszewski M.A. , van Asseldonk M.A.P.M. , Dijkhuizen A.A. , Huirne R.B.M. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractYearly production and reproduction data on dairy farms in The Netherlands were obtained to determine whether management information systems significantly improved herd performance variables (management information systems (MIS) effects). The analysis included 357 adopters of a management information system and 357 herds were used as controls. The data comprised years 1987 through 1996, and included for the adopters both the ‘before’ and ‘after’ period. Panel data analysis enabled to estimate MIS effects both within and between farms, allowing for a separation of farm‐specific effects and common (trend) effects. Adoption and use of a management information system resulted in a significant annual increase in rolling herd average milk (carrier) and protein production of 62 and 2.36 kg per cow, respectively. Calving interval was shortened by 5 days. The pay‐back period was approximately 5 years of the system (including the hardware), and therefore, MIS appears to be economically profitable.
Integrated economic‐hydrologic water modeling at the basin scale: the Maipo river basin
Authors: Rosegrant M.W. , Ringler C. , McKinney D.C. , Cai X. , Keller A. , Donoso G. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractIncreasing competition for water across sectors increases the importance of the river basin as the appropriate unit of analysis to address the challenges facing water resources management; and modeling at this scale can provide essential information for policy makers in their resource allocation decisions. This paper introduces an integrated economic‐hydrologic modeling framework that accounts for the interactions between water allocation, farmer input choice, agricultural productivity, non‐agricultural water demand, and resource degradation in order to estimate the social and economic gains from improvement in the allocation and efficiency of water use. The model is applied to the Maipo river basin in Chile. Economic benefits to water use are evaluated for different demand management instruments, including markets in tradable water rights, based on production and benefit functions with respect to water for the agricultural and urban‐industrial sectors.
Structural and productivity change in US agriculture, 1950–1982
Authors: Huffman Wallace E. , Evenson Robert E. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThis paper tests whether structural change in US agriculture is an important channel to TFP growth and evaluates the relative impact of (i) public research and education policies, (ii) private R&D and market forces, and (iii) government farm programs on structural change. We specify a structural econometric model, fit it to US state aggregate data, 1953–1982, and use the associated reduced‐form model to perform counter‐factual policy simulations. The findings include: structural change is a channel to TFP growth in both crop and livestock subsector, i.e. specialization, size, and part‐time farming do impact TFP, holding other variables constant. Public R&D and education have been at least as important as private R&D and market forces for changing livestock specialization, farm size, and farmers’ off‐farm work participation over the study period, but private R&D and market forces have been relatively more important for crop specialization. Changes in farm commodity programs had little impact on farm structure over these study period. Overall, we conclude that if public R&D and education policies had been unchanged at their 1950 values over 1950–1982, major structural changes in US agriculture would have occurred anyway. The forces of private R&D and market forces were at work, including a decline in the price of machinery services and agricultural chemicals, relative to the farm wage.
Gains and structural effects of exploiting scale‐economies in Norwegian dairy production
Authors: Løyland Knut , Ringstad Vidar 
Published: August 2005

AbstractIn this paper, we present calculations of the economic gains in terms of reduced costs by exploiting scale‐economies in dairy production in Norway, and the effect this would have had on the number of farms. We also explore whether or not optimal scale and unexploited scale‐economies change over time due to scale‐augmenting technical change.The analysis is based on homothetic cost functions estimated by means of data for individual dairy farms for the period 1972–1996. For 1972, we find that, by full exploitation of scale‐economies, the costs could have been reduced by almost 40%, while the number of farms would have been reduced by more than 85%. The number of small farms has been substantially reduced in the period considered. This fact, combined with small scale‐augmenting technical change, implies that the gains and structural effects of exploiting scale‐economies have decreased over time. In 1996, costs could have been reduced by close to 30% by full exploitation of scale‐economies, while the number of farms would have been reduced by slightly more than 70%. Thus, both gains and structural effects are substantially less than in 1972. Nevertheless, the calculated gains for 1996 make almost 5 billion NOK. This corresponds almost exactly to the total public support to the dairy farms in 1996.The unexploited scale‐economies are largely due to the agricultural policy. Thus, a substantial share of the same can be considered as part of the‘price’ the Norwegian society has to pay for this policy. In addition, there are likely to be large hidden costs of this policy due in particular to the quota system and other direct production regulations. They imply that technical innovations and other efficiency‐improving investments requiring increased production to be profitable are not carried out. This is the more likely explanation for the extremely poor efficiency development in Norwegian dairy production in the period studied.
Economics of biological control of cassava mealybug in Africa
Authors: Zeddies J. , Schaab R.P. , Neuenschwander P. , Herren H.R. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractPest populations of the cassava mealybug Phenacoccus manihotiMat.‐Ferr. (Homoptera; Pseudococcidae) were reduced successfully by the biological control agent Apoanagyrus (Epidinocarsis) lopezi De Santis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) throughout most of sub‐Saharan Africa. The economics of the project were evaluated based on data from field trials, socio‐economic surveys, published results, and financial information provided by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the national programmes. Costs and benefits for the biological control of P. manihoti were calculated over 40 years (1974–2013) for 27 African countries, for four different scenarios, taking into account that impact by A. lopeziand speed of the impact differ between ecological zones. A reasonable calculation considering compounded interest resulted in a benefit cost ratio of about 200 when cassava was costed at world market prices, and of about 370–740 when inter‐African prices were considered.
Input and output technical efficiencies of wheat production in Kerman, Iran
Authors: Bakhshoodeh Mohammad , Thomson Kenneth J. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThe Iranian government encourages farmers to produce wheat (a common agricultural enterprise) by increasing farm productivity and efficiency. In this paper, using a Cobb–Douglas frontier production function, a simple relationship between a farm‐level output‐based technical efficiency measure (the Timmer index) and an input‐based measure (the Kopp index) is first developed. Then, using 1995 data from 164 farms in Kerman province, Iran, the average Timmer and Kopp indexes were estimated at 0.93 and 0.91, respectively, and were found to be similarly affected by farm size (positively up to about 9 ha) and by input ratios, though with rather small explanatory power. Thus, there seems some but limited scope to increase the profitability of Iranian wheat production either by increasing the product, given input levels, or by decreasing inputs for the current level of wheat production. However, since wheat producers may be able to adapt their production process more easily and quickly by implementing new techniques, i.e. by more efficient combination of inputs, than by adopting new technology, correction of input over‐use can be regarded as a policy with speedy if limited effect in this case.
US—Mexico fresh vegetable trade: the effects of trade liberalization and economic growth
Authors: Málaga Jaime E. , Williams Gary W. , Fuller Stephen W. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractStudies of US‐Mexico vegetable trade have generally emphasized the importance of US tariffs in determining the competitive advantage of US producers. Even so, research has identified at least four factors related primarily to the different levels of economic development in the US and Mexico that also have important effects on US‐Mexico agricultural trade in general and fresh vegetable trade in particular. These include the differential growth rates of US and Mexican real wages, production technology (yields), and per capita income as well as cyclical movements in the real Mexican Peso/US Dollar exchange rate. This study examines the relative contribution of NAFTA and the development‐related factors to likely future changes in US fresh vegetable imports from Mexico. The analysis employs an econometric simulation model of US and Mexican markets for five fresh vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, bell peppers, and onions) accounting for 80% of US fresh vegetable imports. The results suggest that the 1994–1995 Peso devaluation rather than NAFTA was primarily responsible for the sharp increase in US imports of Mexican vegetables observed in the first years following the implementation of NAFTA. Over time, however, the results suggest that differences in the growth rates of US and Mexican production yields and, to a lesser extent, of US and Mexican real incomes and/or real wage rates could plausibly contribute more to the future growth of US tomato, squash, and onion imports from Mexico than the trade liberalizing effects of NAFTA.
Structural changes in the demand for food in Asia: empirical evidence from Taiwan
Authors: Huang Jikun , Bouis Howarth 
Published: August 2005

AbstractMany Asian countries are expected to undergo structural transformations in their economies and rapid urbanization over the next 25 years. The changes in tastes and lifestyles engendered by urban living are likely to have significant influences on food demand. Changes in marketing systems and occupational changes, closely linked with increasing GNP per capita, also may influence the demand for food. In this paper, estimates presented for Taiwan demonstrate that structural changes in food demand (as distinguished from changes due to income and price effects) have been significant factors driving the rapid changes in dietary patterns seen in East Asia over the past three decades. Because most previous demand studies have ignored the possible influence of structural shifts which are highly correlated with increases in per capita income over time, the effects of income on food demand have been overestimated.
The demand for alcoholic beverages in Spain
Authors: Angulo Ana María , Gil José María , Gracia Azucena 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThe objective of this study is to analyze the main determinants of alcoholic beverages consumption at home. Data comes from the latest Spanish Household National Survey, which provides information on expenditure and quantities of different food products by household. Because households are interviewed only 1 week, a large number of zeros have been recorded. Among the existing censured demand models (the double hurdle (DH) model; the purchase‐infrequency model; and the Tobit purchase‐infrequency model, among others) and after carrying out model selection tests, the DH model has been finally estimated. All expenditure elasticities are positive, corresponding the highest value to spirits. Own price elasticities are negative and also in this case the spirits exhibit the highest value. Socio‐economic variables also play an important role in explaining consumer purchase and consumption decisions.
Agriculture in transition economies: from common heritage to divergence
Authors: Lerman Zvi 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThe 23 former socialist countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) started the transition in 1989–1990 from a common institutional and organizational heritage, represented by the Soviet agricultural model. Despite the common heritage in agriculture, the reform policies in CEE and CIS diverged from the start, as significant differences emerged between the two groups of countries in legal attitudes to private land ownership, transferability of land, the extent of agricultural privatization and individualization, and restructuring of farms. This divergence in the implementation of agricultural reform has led to divergence in standard development measures: the CEE countries are outperforming the CIS countries by growth in GDP and agricultural product since 1992; the productivity of agricultural labor in CEE is generally increasing, and in CIS it is decreasing. While the CIS countries at best can be characterized as reluctant reformers, the CEE countries have achieved significantly higher levels of economic and institutional reform. Better performance in CEE is associated with greater readiness of the governments in these countries to implement a comprehensive package of economic and social reform policies, including more radical land reform and deeper individualization and restructuring of agriculture.
The impact of agricultural productivity increases in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe on world agricultural markets
Authors: Weyerbrock Silvia 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThis paper studies the impact of productivity increases in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe on world agricultural markets and the regions’ bilateral and sectoral agricultural trade flows. We use a six‐region, 13‐sector general equilibrium model. We find that productivity increases lead to a significant increase in the regions’ agricultural output and exports and the former Soviet Union's agricultural imports. The former Soviet Union's net agricultural imports increase, whereas Eastern Europe's net agricultural trade balances improve. Overall, agricultural exporters will benefit, particularly, if productivity increases are not limited to or disproportionally high in agriculture.
Market power and the pricing of commodities imported from developing countries: the case of US vanilla bean imports
Authors: Rakotoarisoa Manitra A. , Shapouri Shahla 
Published: August 2005

AbstractA declining trend in the prices of vanilla beans reduce export earnings of developing country exporters. At the same time, currencies for these developing countries have depreciated. The‘new’ trade theories suggest that market structure plays an important role in relating exchange rate devaluations to price declines. This paper investigates the market structure and estimates the impact of exchange rate movements on prices for vanilla beans imported by the USA from five producers of vanilla beans in developing countries. Unlike other studies, the estimation is based on a‘fixed‐effects’ econometric model derived from the importer's profit equation and the‘Pricing to Market’ (PTM) hypothesis. Data are a pooled cross‐section and time series covering the period “1967”. The results reveal some evidence that US importers of vanilla beans have the market power to apply price discrimination and to adjust import prices in reaction to exchange rate movement vis‐à‐vis exporters.
Optimal hedging decisions for Taiwanese corn traders on the way to liberalisation
Authors: Liu Kang E. , Geaun Jerome , Lei Li‐Fen 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThis paper examines the impacts of exchange rate risk on Taiwanese traders’ decisions to hedge corn imports on US futures markets. The results yield the conclusion that, in the absence of a market that provides proper tools to hedge against exchange rate risk, the Taiwanese economy is incurring an observable social loss. Thus, further liberalisation is essential. Taiwan's experiences can serve as an example for developing countries, as the world economy is becoming increasingly integrated.
The role of intermediaries in enhancing market efficiency in the Ethiopian grain market
Authors: Gabre‐Madhin Eleni Z. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThis paper investigates the impact of the institution of brokerage on the optimal search behaviour and the welfare gains and losses of traders in the Ethiopian grain market. Without brokers, the privately optimal search diverges from the socially optimal search due to the positive spill‐over of individual search behaviour. Numerical analysis using the actual distribution of search costs and search efficiency obtained from primary data collected in Ethiopia reveals that this externality is partially internalised by the presence of brokers and that total welfare increases significantly due to a more efficient allocation of search effort.
A fresh meat almost ideal demand system incorporating negative TV press and advertising impact
Authors: Verbeke Wim , Ward Ronald W. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThis paper investigates fresh meat consumption in Belgium during “1995” through the specification of a three‐equation almost ideal demand system (AIDS) incorporating a media index of TV coverage and advertising expenditures as explanatory variables. Estimated parameters and elasticity coefficients are plausible and consistent with demand theory. Own‐price elasticities are relatively low, indicating a low fresh meat demand sensitivity to price changes over this period which was dominated by mass media reports about the potential health risks associated with meat consumption. The scope of the paper extends beyond the estimation of elasticity coefficients and includes the specification of a media index and simulations that provide insights into the impact of negative press relative to advertising efforts. Specifically, the impact of television publicity is shown to have been particularly negative on beef/veal expenditures in favour of pork/mixture. This finding corroborates expectations since mass media issues mainly pertained to BSE (mad cow disease) and hormone residues during the investigated period. With relatively little effort being undertaken and with its current strategy, fresh meat advertising is found to have only a minor impact compared with negative press.
Optimal weed control under static and dynamic decision rules
Authors: Wu JunJie 
Published: August 2005

AbstractDynamic and static weed control decision rules are derived analytically and compared. The dynamic rule leads to increased farm profits and greater control of weeds and weed seeds than the static rule, while total herbicide use is unchanged. The magnitude of the differences is estimated for atrazine control of foxtail and cocklebur in corn production. Incorporating weed dynamics into weed control strategies increases farm profits between 1.0 and 1.4%.
Why do farmers have so little interest in futures markets?
Authors: Simmons Phil 
Published: August 2005

AbstractA farm financial model with leverage and investment in two farm enterprises is specified. The model is extended to incorporate futures hedging and the Separation Theorem is used to show that optimal hedging is zero. The assumption of a risk‐free asset is relaxed and, while this leads to a violation of the Separation Theorem, the result that optimal hedging is zero is maintained providing that futures markets are efficient. It is concluded that if capital markets are efficient then farmers will have little interest in futures markets except to speculate.
Downward sloping demand for environmental amenities and international compensation: elephant conservation and strategic culling
Authors: Bulte Erwin , van Kooten G. Cornelis 
Published: August 2005

AbstractConventional wisdom holds that monetary compensation for positive transboundary externalities will promote conservation of resource amenities. We demonstrate that, in the case of elephant conservation, international transfers may also result in strategic behavior by host countries, with adverse implications for global welfare and in situ stocks.
Adoption of improved chickpea varieties: KRIBHCO experience in tribal region of Gujarat, India
Authors: Shiyani R.L. , Joshi P.K. , Asokan M. , Bantilan M.C.S. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThe study aims to track adoption of improved chickpea varieties, and assess their on‐farm benefits in some remote and backward tribal villages in Gujarat, India, where few newly developed varieties were introduced by a non‐government organization. It also determines key factors which were influencing their adoption. The study found that adoption of improved chickpea varieties was gradually increasing by replacing a prominent local variety. Duration of crop maturity, farm size, yield risk, and farmers' experience of growing chickpea crop were significantly influencing their adoption. The on‐farm benefits as a result of improved varieties were realized in terms of increased yield levels, higher income and labor productivity, more marketable surplus, price premium and stabilized yields in fluctuating weather. Breeding short duration varieties with stable yield levels under varying weather, and organizing seed multiplication and dissemination in regions, where moisture stress is a problem during maturity of chickpea, are the major suggestions.
Acreage response in Pakistan: a co‐integration approach
Authors: Mushtaq Khalid , Dawson P.J. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThis paper seeks to quantify the acreage responses of wheat, cotton, sugarcane and rice in Pakistan using co‐integration techniques and impulse response analysis. Results indicate that acreages of wheat and basmati rice do not respond significantly to shocks in own‐price while cotton, sugarcane and high yielding variety (HYV) rice do, and that long‐run equilibrium is re‐established after about 4 years. Irrigated area is an important determinant of acreage.