Food Competition in World Markets: Some Evidence from a Panel Data Analysis of Top Exporting Countries

This paper investigates the relevance of relative prices and world income as determinants of food exports for the top trading countries in the period 1992–2012 using a panel data framework. We find that price elasticities generally take lower values for processed goods, and the opposite holds for income elasticities. Processed goods are also characterised by an inverse relationship between price elasticities and average unit values. The analysis suggests that both emerging and advanced countries can be expected to increase their export specialisation in processed goods. Furthermore, developed economies can face fierce competition from emerging countries by enhancing the quality content of their processed good exports.     

Economic evaluation of ecosystem goods and services under different landscape management scenarios

Human-induced changes in the natural environment are affecting the provision of ecosystem goods and services (EGS). Land use plans rarely include the value of public ecosystem services such as climate regulation and biodiversity due to difficulties in valuing these services. In this study, we assessed total economic value for five important ecosystem goods and services under five future land-use scenarios using varying levels of costs, prices and discount rates. Results indicated that at higher discount rates normally applied to commercial activities, and assuming the current prices for goods and services, net present value (NPV) was highest for landscape management scenarios aimed at maximising agricultural production. Potential income from services such as carbon and biodiversity does not offset projected income lost from agriculture due to land-use changes. At higher discount rates, NPV was negative for the two scenarios aimed at enhancing the longer term ecological sustainability of the landscape. These results indicate that income from carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation would need to be considerably higher than current levels in order to justify focusing management of this landscape on ecological outcomes. At lower discount rates (at levels normally associated with public investments), the more ecologically appropriate ‘mosaic farming system’ had the highest NPV, indicating that this type of system might be attractive for investors interested in longer term return horizons or wider public benefits. Higher income from carbon or biodiversity, or increased return from timber by using high value tree species, could potentially make more ecologically appropriate systems profitable at higher discount rates.     

Farmers' Buying Selection Criteria of Agricultural Inputs

The Malaysian farmers' selection criteria of agricultural inputs, attitudes towards selecting the inputs, and the influence of socio-demographic factors in the selection of inputs were examined by using a personal interview with vegetable farmers. It was found that farmers perceived quality as most important criteria in selection of inputs, while advertising was perceived as least important. Vegetable farmers have favourable attitudes towards quality, product availability and fair prices, and less favourable attitudes towards advertising influence. The socio-demographic factors such as income, farm size, geographical distribution, education level, and ethnic group (race) have some influence on farmers' selection criteria of agricultural inputs.     

Abstracts of Second- and Third-Place Undergraduate Papers

This paper presents an analysis of the demand for hunting licenses in Alberta from 1968 to 2004. Regression analysis was used to estimate the effects of some of the commonly thought reasons for the decline in hunting participation in Alberta; specifically, the effects of changes in wildlife certificate prices, species license prices, income levels, and the proportion of the population living in urban areas. I found that hunting appears to be an inferior good since the income elasticity of demand was elastic—as provincial income levels increase, it is expected that less people will participate in hunting. In addition, the price elasticity of demand was inelastic indicating that raising license prices could theoretically generate increased revenues for wildlife management. I further hypothesize that if hunting participation needs to be increased for wildlife management purposes, it can be accomplished by decreasing the prices of licenses without directly affecting the revenue generated. Ultimately, we must realize that many of the hypothesized reasons for the decline in hunting participation in Alberta are qualitative and non-economic in nature and are thus difficult to include in most analyses. Whereas price and income are important determinants of hunting demand, they are only part of the story.     

MEASURING THE RELATIVE INCOME OF FARM LABOUR, 1941–611

This is an analysis of farm labour income at an aggregate level for the period 1941 to 1961. The income of farm labour was estimated for paid workers, operators or self-employed workers, and total paid and unpaid workers, These incomes were compared with five sub-sectors of the nonfarm economy and for five geographical regions. In estimating income, adjustments were made for the age and sex composition of labour force, bours of work in various industries, movement of prices of inputs and output, and period of employment of farm workers. The results show significant differences in incomes of various categories of workers, and incomes of farm workers compared to various sub-sectors of the nonfarm economy. Similarly, various regions were found to. be highly heterogeneous with respect to relative labour income levels. When the farm and nonfarm sectors were adjusted for differences in characteristics, the labour income ratio of Canadian agriculture on a normalized man equivalent basis ranged between 41 and 63 percent.     

国际石油市场变异与中国的能源战略

石油及其制品,无论作为生产中的中间投入,还是用于居民生活消费,都是一次性消费品,石油交易在本原上应属于产品市场.由于期货市场的发展,国际石油市场投机性增强,属性发生变异-从产品市场演变为具有产品市场和虚拟经济市场双重性的市场,并形成经济泡沫.在这样的市场上,消费者要被迫按资产价格购买消费品.这类泡沫很难消除,中国宜调整能源战略,以适应形势,抵御损害,使自己立于不败之地,并谋求长治久安之计.     

Is off-farm income reforming the farm? Evidence from Mexico

Does access to off-farm income complement or compete with agricultural production? This article explores the effect of off-farm income on agricultural production activities, using data from the 2003 Mexico National Rural Household Survey. We first discuss the theoretical conditions under which access to off-farm income may influence production in an agricultural household model. Instrumental-variable (IV) estimation methods are then used to test whether agricultural production activities, technologies, and input use differ between households with and without access to off-farm income. We find that off-farm income has a negative effect on agricultural output and the use of family labor on the farm, but a positive impact on the demand for purchased inputs. There is also a slight efficiency gain in households with access to off-farm income. Findings offer insights into how household production evolves as rural households increasingly engage in off-farm income activities.     

Advertising Expenditures and the Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages

The theory of consumer behavior is applied to the estimation of a demand svstem. Monthly data on alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, liquor, soft dhnks) from the province of Ontario in Canada are analyzed. Before estimating the linear approximate almost ideal demand system (LA/AIDS), unit root and cointegration tests are implemented. Budget shares, per capita advertising expenditures, real total expenditure, prices and per capita consumption are found to be non-stationary. The budget share, the advertising expenditures, the prices and the real total expenditure are cointegrated for each beverage. Own and cross-price elasticities, income elasticities and own and cross-advertising elasticities are calculated from the estimated or the demand system. Based on own-price elasticities and income elasticities, alcohol consumption is consistent with the law of demand and the products analyzed are normal goods. The estimation of income and advertising effects is important for analyzing the need for, and the effectiveness of, potential control policies. The advertising elasticities are small but statistically significant. This suggests that advertising may promote alcoholic beverage consumption. The estimated inelastic demands for beer and wine suggest that the primary purpose of high excise taxes levied by the Federal and Provincial governments is to raise government revenues and not to discourage consumption.     

Tracing the Effects of Agricultural Commodity Prices and Food Costs

We estimate a system of product and input-demand equations for food-processing industries to trace the links among farm commodity prices, food-processing costs, and food prices. Disembodied technical change, which likely reflects increasing consumer demand for convenience and product variety, has sharply reduced agricultural materials demand relative to most other food-processing inputs. This implies weakening impacts of farm price shocks on food prices. But improving quality and falling relative prices for agricultural inputs, in combination with increasing factor substitution, has counteracted these forces to encourage greater usage of agricultural inputs in food processing, and limit these trends.     

完善我国渔业补贴政策的思考

党和政府十分重视农民增收和城乡一体化发展,已相继出台了一系列的惠农政策。在新时期,由于受渔业资源衰退、油价上涨和渔场缩小等因素影响,渔民增收较困难,建立完善渔业补贴政策,对渔民增收、渔区稳定、渔业可持续发展具有重要的作用。本文在对有关渔业补贴政策现状、取得成就及存在问题深人调研基础上,提出了建立完善的一系列政策建议。     

Expected Economic Effects of BST in The Netherlands

The calculated profitability of using Bovine Somatotropin (BST) on typical dairy farms in The Netherlands ranges from Dfl.160 to 300 per cow per year, assuming 1985 prices and circumstances, and ignoring the costs of BST. A 20% increase in milk production and no change of the feed/milk relation were used for the calculations. BST is more profitable on intensive farms or on farms with more opportunities for alternative uses of land, buildings and labour. The quota system, however, leads to a considerable reduction of profitability. At a national level, and with an unchanged milk price, a 28% adoption rate of BST would increase national income about Dfl.120 million. However, the cost of BST or any decrease in milk price could reduce this amount, even to below zero. It is apparent that some dairy farmers who apply BST will earn more income whereas others will lose income.     

Determining the Best Sales Time Period for Dried Figs: A Game Theory Application

Variations in producer prices over time cause constant fluctuations in farm incomes. In this study, the author uses a game theory approach to determine the economically optimal time to sell dried figs for the agricultural firms that produce them. Based on the price producers received in the period between August 2003 and July 2010, dried fig prices were converted into 2003 real price levels. According to a linear programming model based on these assumptions, it was determined that the best time for producers to sell dried figs, with the rate of 26.63%, was November and December.     

A Model of Spatial Arbitrage with Transport Capacity Constraints and Endogenous Transport Prices

This article solves a high-frequency model of price arbitrage incorporating storage and trade when the amount of trade is limited by transport capacity constraints. In equilibrium there is considerable variation in transport prices because transport prices rise when the demand to ship goods exceeds the capacity limit. This variation is necessary to attract shipping capacity into the industry. In turn, prices in different locations differ by a time varying amount. Thus while the law of one price holds, it holds because of endogenous variation in transport prices.     

Can medium-scale farms support smallholder commercialisation and improve welfare? Evidence from Nigeria

In spite of mounting evidence about the growth of medium-scale farms (MSFs) across Africa, there is limited empirical evidence on their impact on neighbouring small-scale farms (SSFs). We examine the relationships between MSFs and SSFs, with particular focus on the specific mechanisms driving potential spillover effects. First, we develop a theoretical model explaining two propagating mechanisms: learning effects (training) and cost effects (reduced transactions cost). An empirical application to data from Nigeria shows that SSFs with training from MSFs tend to use higher levels of modern inputs (have higher productivity), and receive higher prices and income. The results also show that purchasing inputs from MSFs reduces the costs of accessing modern inputs and is associated with higher inorganic fertiliser use by SSFs. Our results suggest that the benefits of receiving training and purchasing inputs from MSFs are particularly important for very small-scale producers, operating less than 1 hectare of land. This implies that policies which promote the efficient operation of MSFs and encourage their interaction with SSFs can be an effective mechanism for improving the productivity and welfare of smallholder farms, hence reducing their vulnerability to extreme poverty.     

我国渔民增收机制探讨

渔民作为渔业生产最重要的主体,其收入增长在近十年呈放缓趋势,这也就导致了我国渔民人均年纯收入与城镇居民之间的差距不断拉大。论文分析了渔民增收放缓的症结包括：来源少,渔民的收入主要来源于经营性收入;支出高,生产资料涨价、渔业税费减免不力以及塘租等相关费用的提高是致使渔民支出较高的重要原因;风险大,渔业生产面临自然风、市场风险;政策偏,税费减免政策不到位,部分补贴不落实,水域占用补偿尚未规范。促进渔民增收是一项系统工程,必须多措并举,建立长效的增收机制。“进”“退”结合,退出近海和内湖捕捞,进入水产养殖业和其他行业,积极推行生态健康养殖模式,退出生产,进入服务;“权”“利”转化,积极探索捕捞权和养殖权的流转模式,通过渔业水域滩涂规划以及水域分层确权确保利益分配的合理性和规范性;“质”“量”共管,保障国内水产品供给的同时更加注重水产品品质的提升;“减”“扶”并进,加大对渔业和渔民的政策扶持力度,增加福利性收入,完善渔业政策性保险以降低生产风险;“内”“外”兼顾,利用内外两种资源,关注内外两个市场。     

Privatised provision of essential plant breeding infrastructure*

As private plant breeding replaces public programs, the efficient provision and utilisation of key enabling technologies for crop breeding, which are largely knowledge based and provide the foundation for variety improvement, might be at risk. Typically, such inputs are non‐rival in use and are therefore termed essential plant breeding infrastructure (EPBI). Specific threats include the possibility of wasteful duplication in production, under‐production, under‐utilisation of produced EPBI because of price rationing, and anticompetitive outcomes in plant breeding and downstream markets. The likely level of under‐investment in hypothetical molecular‐marker technology by a profit‐maximising monopoly producer, charging uniform prices for access, is analysed using results from the published literature on excludable public goods.     

The Effect of Wal-Mart Supercenters on Grocery Prices in New England

The competitive price effect of Wal-Mart Supercenters on national brand and private label grocery prices in New England is examined. We use primary price data collected on several identical products from six Supercenters in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island and from conventional supermarkets. Taking into account demographics, store characteristics, and market conditions, we show that Wal-Mart decreases prices by 6 to 7% for national brand goods and by 3 to 8% for private label goods. Price decreases are most significant in the dry grocery and dairy departments. Moreover, Wal-Mart sets grocery prices significantly lower than its competitors.     

The effects of current income and expected change in future income on stated preferences for environmental improvements

We formulate and test the hypothesis that expectations regarding changes in future income influences the WTP for environmental goods. For valuation of environmental goods in forests and other habitats in Denmark, we find that both current income and expected changes in future income are significant determinants for preferences. The effect of income on WTP seems to be caused by changes in preferences for environmental attributes rather than by marginal utility of income. The results suggest that to evaluate the distributional impacts of environmental improvements, researchers need a better measure of expected future consumption options than current income.     

U.S. corn exports: the role of the exchange rate

Time series econometric methods are applied to monthly observational data over the period 1978-1942 on real exchange rates, real corn prices, corn export sales, and corn export shipments for the United States. In-sample fit and out-of-sample forecast results are used to discern whether exchange rates have elicited systematic responses in U.S. corn prices, sales and shipments, and whether the dynamic transmission mechanisms tying these variables together have changed over time. A structural break appears to have occurred in early 1985. No cointegration is found between exchange rates, price, sales, and shipments in either sub-period. Influences are all short-run or between stationary variables. The role of the exchange rate appears to have moderated in the post-1985 period. Implications for policy analysis are discussed.     

Food price increases and net food importing countries: lessons from the recent past

Recent increases in food and other commodity prices have highlighted concerns that many poor countries are net food importers and higher food prices would worsen their trade balances. In this article, we analyze the changes in food trade balances associated with the 32% increase in food prices from 2000/2001 to 2004/2005. We find a small deterioration in food trade balances of low‐income countries and an improvement in middle‐income countries. The deterioration is most severe for countries in conflict and small island states, so attention should be placed first on these countries and on a few very‐low‐income countries that are also vulnerable. Because low‐income countries as a group had much lower agricultural GDP growth rates than middle‐income countries, the answers to food vulnerability in low‐income countries should probably be addressed within the context of incentives for agricultural production.