Consumer Behavior and Fish Market Development in Oman

Abstract

Capitalizing on the rich fishing grounds that populate the coastal waters of the Sultanate of Oman is important in that country's economic diversification. Domestic fish markets have been constrained by consumers⁵ habits, which show very strong preferences for fresh fish over other processed forms. This study relates fish market and product development to consumer habits, perceptions, income, and other demographic and socioeconomic factors. Educational attainment and rural/urban households demonstrated the strongest relationships to likelihood of Omani fish choice by species and form. Income group, importance of price, and price expectations were significant influences on fish variety and form consumption, as were attitudinal choice characteristics, such as place of purchase, fish product characteristics, and spousal purchasing decision. Rural households and household size affected the odds of Omani consumption of fresh fish negatively.     

Demand for animal‐derived food in selected Asian countries: A system‐wide analysis

Food consumption patterns in Asia show a trend away from staples toward high protein food derived from animal and dairy products, fruit and vegetables, fats and oils. Such changes in food consumption patterns are due to rising incomes, urbanization, globalization, and modernization of marketing infrastructure. In this article, we analyze the demand for the animal‐derived food group comprising meat (chicken, beef, pork, and mutton), eggs and fish, and derive income and price elasticities in seven Asian countries using the system‐wide approach. Demand homogeneity and Slutsky symmetry properties were tested and found to be compatible with the data. Our findings reveal that animal‐derived food as a group is a necessity (except in Taiwan) and its demand is price inelastic (except in Taiwan and Sri Lanka). The implied unconditional demand elasticities reveal that, in all countries (except beef in Japan and Taiwan), chicken, beef, pork, mutton, eggs and fish (except in Taiwan) are all necessities and the demand for all types of animal‐derived food in all seven countries are mostly price inelastic. The cross‐price elasticity estimates are mostly found to be positive, meaning that there is a higher degree of substitutability between chicken, beef, pork, mutton, eggs, and fish.     

Household Food Consumption in a Developing Economy:

The primary objective of this paper is to describe household rice consumption patterns in Nigeria with evidence from Imo State, determine the nature, magnitude and direction of income, price and cross price elasticities of demand, and examine the factors influencing household rice consumption. A budget survey of 50 randomly selected rural and urban households in Imo State, Nigeria, interviewed. The survey was repeated for 14 months between November 1984 and January 1986, providing the data used for analysis. There were significant differences between urban and rural household per capita daily rice consumption. Income (expenditure) elasticity of demand was greater than unity, and decreased, as expected, from low to high income groups. Household income was the most important determinant of food consumption. The implications of these findings for food and international trade policy are discussed.     

Chinese animal product consumption in the 1990s

Chinese animal product consumption behaviour was analysed for both urban and rural households using a complete regional consumption dataset that was augmented to include away-from-home consumption. Seven animal product expenditure share equations were estimated with an extended Almost Ideal Demand System model. The results suggest that Chinese consumers will continue to increase their consumption of animal products, but that consumption patterns have changed in the 1990s. A large percentage of household animal product expenditure is still on pork. However, the shares for aquatic and poultry products consumption will increase substantially. As a consequence, the pork expenditure share will be gradually reduced as incomes grow and diet preferences change in both urban and rural households. There are significant differences in animal product consumption preferences across regions of China. As a result, studies that omit regional dummy variables in their demand systems can produce different expenditure and price parameters. The present paper also found that many of the estimates of elasticities and marginal expenditure shares would be rather different if the data ignored consumption away from home.     

Changing food consumption patterns in rural and urban Vietnam: Implications for a future food supply system

Rapid income growth and urbanisation could significantly change the composition of the food basket in many emerging economies. This study estimates a demand system, including 15 major food items in Vietnam, with multiyear household survey data. We find a large variation in the estimated price elasticities (–0.05 to –0.88) and expenditure elasticities (–0.16 to 2.56). Food types, urban status and income groups can explain this variation. We also find that the staple food, rice, is already an inferior good for rich urban households in Vietnam. Moreover, food preferences are evolving away from rice but towards animal proteins (fish, pork, chicken, eggs and milk), fruits and vegetables, irrespective of urban status and income groups. As the Vietnam economy continues to grow with a doubling of gross domestic product (GDP) in the next decade, per capita rice consumption in both urban and rural areas and across different income groups will continue to decline, whereas demand for other high‐value products will rise. Thus, government policy should focus on encouraging demand‐oriented food production. In addition, crop diversification at the farm level needs to improve substantially to meet the rising demand for these food products due to income growth and urbanisation.     

全面建成小康社会对农村居民肉类消费的影响基于中国农村微观经济数据的实证研究

[目的]基于中国农村微观经济数据,分析全面建成小康社会对农村居民肉类消费的影响。[方法]文章运用恩格尔模型和考虑"零消费"问题的近乎理想需求系统模型(AIDS)的两阶段模型,对全国8个省份的农户数据进行实证分析。[结果]首先,肉类食品的需求收入弹性均为正值,农村居民肉类需求随着收入增长而增加。其次,肉类食品需求收入弹性存在差异,其中,禽肉收入弹性最大,牛羊肉收入弹性最小。再次,不考虑"零消费"问题时,牛羊肉的需求弹性被高估0.12～0.29,猪肉的需求弹性被高估0～0.02。最后,到达全面建成小康社会的标准时,目前低于收入标准的农村居民人均猪肉、禽肉和牛羊肉消费量将分别增加3.42kg、1.86kg和0.57kg,消费结构将进一步优化。[结论]全面建成小康社会将促进农村居民人均收入增长,进而扩大人均肉类消费量、优化肉类消费结构;农村家庭户主受教育程度与肉类消费具有正向相关关系。     

The dynamics of household beef consumption in Cameroon

Recent changes in economic conditions have introduced notable changes in household beef consumption patterns in Cameroon. While consumers are concerned about the short- and long-run effects of these factors on beef consumption habits, policy makers are more worried about the appropriate period necessary for households to make complete adjustments in consumption since this information is vital for planning production. Static and dynamic demand frameworks involving the Nerlovian partial adjustment (PA) model are used to capture the dynamic nature of beef consumption parameters. Maximum likelihood estimates of the PA model reveal that the conditioning variables explain 79% of the variation in beef consumption. Income, previous consumption, own-price and prices of fish and pork are jointly important in explaining beef consumption habits. Beef is a normal good with pork and fish as substitutes and chicken as a complement. Long-run price and income elasticities are greater than but not significantly different from their short-run values, suggesting that adjustment in consumption is fast with about 80% of the difference between actual and ‘desired’ consumption being completed in about 2 years. Projections show that demand for beef will reach 109620 t by the year 2000. giving an incremental total and per capita demand of 31 730 tons and 1.84 kg, respectively.     

城市居民乡村旅游消费行为研究——以武汉市为例

乡村旅游是解决城乡收入差距的重要手段。通过问卷调查的方式,从人口统计的视角定量研究了武汉市居民乡村旅游消费行为。研究表明武汉市居民乡村旅游的主要动机有欣赏自然景观、呼吸新鲜空气和放松身心,对乡村旅游因子而言,武汉市居民更看重食品安全、特色景观和特色文化。     

Income Growth and International Meat Consumption

With technological adoption and trade liberalization, per capita incomes have grown rapidly in industrialized countries. Income growth has resulted in increased per capita meat consumption. Projecting future meat consumption requires quantifying the relationship between per capita income and meat consumption. This study estimates the relationship between income growth and meat consumption using data from 32 countries. Beef, pork, poultry, and lamb income elasticities declined at different rates as income levels increased. High income countries have experienced relatively constant per capita meat consumption. Low income counmes with low income growth have had stagnant meat consumption. Low income countries with growing incomes have experienced increasing meat consumption. Countries such as China characterized by relatively large income growth and moderate population growth have experienced large increases in total meat consumption.     

Expenditure on different categories of meat in Greece: the influence of changing tastes

This paper employs a latent variable approach to isolate the effects of changing tastes on the share of total meat expenditure on different categories of meat products in Greece during the period 1965–1995. We find that changes in the relative expenditure on different categories of meat cannot be explained by changes in the relative prices of the different meat products and increased expenditure alone. For pork products in particular, the increase in the share of expenditure has been greater than would be expected as a result of the relative fall in their price. The increase can therefore be associated with changes in taste. This finding is of general interest to those conducting empirical research into consumer behaviour both in economies where there have been significant changes in patterns of food consumption, and where, as in the case of many less industrialised economies, rapid structural changes in food consumption patterns are still to come. It is also of importance to policy makers in assessing die effectiveness of advertising or promotional campaigns in influencing longer term changes in consumer preferences for different products.     

Comparing heterogeneous consumption in U.S. and Japanese meat and fish demand

This article uses national, quarterly data to conduct an empirical analysis of pre‐committed meat and fish demand by U.S. and Japanese households using the generalized almost ideal demand system (GAIDS). Pre‐committed demand represents the component of demand that is insensitive to both income and price adjustments. U.S. consumers are found to hold significant positive pre‐committed demand for beef and pork, while Japanese consumers appear to possess significant, positive pre‐committed demand for beef and fish. This provides evidence to partially explain observed differences in Japanese and U.S. consumer reactions to nonprice and nonincome effects in beef, pork, poultry, and fish. In addition, based on in‐ and out‐of‐sample performance, the more general GAIDS is preferred to the almost ideal demand system (AIDS) for both the U.S. and Japanese demand systems. Results lend to improved demand modeling efforts and more complete understanding of true market forces at hand in meat and fish markets for these culturally diverse consumer groups.     

新冠肺炎疫情对2020年农业农村发展的影响评估与应对建议

由于种养业季节性强、农民工流动性大、农村防护条件差,疫情对农业农村发展的影响具有全面性和持久性。研究显示,疫情防控导致的物流中断,家禽养殖企业遭遇生存危机,导致短期肉价下跌和2020年肉类供需紧张局面加剧;果蔬滞销、粮食销售延迟以及部分农产品消费抑制,将使相当部分种植户2020年收益面临下滑;疫情期间的延期复工和疫情后的长期停工会导致农民工就业人数下降205万人至351.1万人,2020年农民工人均工资收入名义增长速度可能将下降1.45至2.46个百分点。综合考虑疫情对各项收入来源的影响,2020年农村居民人均可支配收入名义增长速度可能将下降2.59至3.59个百分点。因此,应加紧建立应急储备和加大供需调节力度,以补贴和政策性信贷支持引导龙头企业帮助小农户度过难关,加大对农民工再就业培训和返乡创业的支持,多渠道稳定农民收入。     

Effects of Increasing Agricultural Productivity in a Multisectoral Model for the Philippines

This paper investigates empirically the economy-wide effects of agricultural productivity increases in the Philippines, reporting the results of a quantitative analysis based on a general equilibrium framework. A multisectoral, price endogenous model of the Philippine economy is employed, emphasizing not only agriculture but also other production sectors with which it closely interacts, as well as the distinction between rural and urban households in their income generation and consumption patterns. Among other findings, the differential effects on the real income of rural households vis-a-vis urban households arising from increased productivity in the various components of the agricultural production sector are striking. The resulting improvements in the trade balance and national income, among other macroeconomic variables, are also relatively significant. Moreover, there are significant differences in the economy-wide effects among the four sectors of food and agriculture distinguished in the study. Particularly interesting is the highly favorable impact of rising productivity in the food processing sector on agricultural crop production and rural income, a linkage effect that has not received much attention in the development literature.     

Demand for fish in Asia: a cross‐country analysis*

Fish demand patterns in nine Asian countries were investigated using a multistage budgeting framework allowing a disaggregated approach to analysing fish consumption. This paper highlights the heterogeneity of fisheries products in terms of species, sources and cultural responses of consumers, factors that are important in fish demand under the Asian setting. Specifically, fish demand by income groups were compared to determine how the low‐ and high‐income households respond to price and income changes. Results showed that the estimated price and income elasticities of all fish types included in the study were relatively more elastic among the poorer households.     

At‐home meat consumption in China: an empirical study*

The remarkable economic changes occurring within China since 1978 have resulted in a striking alteration in food consumption patterns, and one marked change is the increasing consumption of meat. Given China’s large population, a small percentage change in per capita meat consumption could lead to a dramatic impact on the production and trade of agricultural products. Such changes have major implications for policy makers and food marketers. This paper concentrates on meat consumption patterns in the home in China. A censored linear approximate almost ideal demand system model was employed in the study, and major economic parameters were estimated for different meat items. Data used in this study were collected from two separate consumer surveys – one urban and one rural in 2005.     

房价对城乡财产性收入差距的影响研究

住房问题关乎国计民生,房价成为影响城乡发展差距变动的重要因素。文章聚焦房价上涨对城乡家庭财产性收入差距变动的影响,并基于2005—2018年我国31个省级行政区域面板数据,采用固定效应模型与动态面板系统GMM估计方法,对房价如何影响城乡财产性收入差距变动进行实证研究。研究发现,房价上涨会显著拉大城乡财产性收入差距,并且这种影响存在区域差异性。文章认为应调整预防房价上涨的相关政策,落实中央"房住不炒"定位,以缓解房价上涨导致的城乡家庭财产性收入差距过大现象,助力推进社会高质量发展。     

Effects of Product Origin and Selected Demographics on Consumer Choice of Red Meats

A multinomial nonlinear nested logit model is used to test data from a stated preference questionnaire to examine the potential effect of identified product and consumer characteristics on the probability of afresh meat product being purchased. The target market of the study is western Canada, and the questionnaire is directed to randomly selected households in major cities in this region. Fresh beef products from Alberta are generally preferred by these consumers over fresh beef products from other parts of Canada. For pork, consumers are indifferent between products of Alberta and those of other Canadian origin. However, fresh beef and pork products from Canada are preferred to products from the United States. The results support origin branding of Alberta beef, but not Alberta pork. Consumer age, household income and family size all have an effect on meat choices.     

居民收入增长对乳制品消费影响及作用机制研究

目的 优化乳制品消费结构、推动消费方式多元化发展,能够在保持消费总量稳定增长的同时,多途径提升乳制品消费水平,加快乳制品消费转型升级,助力居民营养健康。方法 文章利用2009—2018年“中国健康与营养调查”面板数据,分析了我国居民收入增长对乳制品消费的影响,并着重讨论了城乡之间的因素差异。结果 （1）收入增长可显著提升城乡居民乳制品消费量,在利用IV-Hekit模型克服内生性后,结论依然稳健;（2）收入增长可通过丰富乳品消费种类加快乳品消费结构升级、增加乳品消费频次形成结构化膳食两条路径增加乳制品消费;（3）城市居民收入增长对乳制品消费量的正向作用更明显,城市居民收入增长对乳制品消费种类和消费频次的提升作用约为农村居民的两倍。结论 增加城乡居民对乳制品的消费,需引导居民形成多元化健康饮食方式,带动乳制品加工营养化高值化,推动地方特色乳业发展;强化乳制品消费引导和配送体系建设;组织实施低收入人群营养改善计划,保障弱势群体食物基本供给和营养不断改善。     

消费者对安全认证农产品自述偏好与现实选择的一致性及其影响因素——以生鲜认证猪肉为例

以生鲜认证猪肉产品为例,本文利用对北京市城镇消费者的问卷调查数据,实证分析了消费者对安全认证农产品自述偏好与现实选择的一致性及其影响因素。结果显示,尽管50%以上的消费者对生鲜认证猪肉有自述偏好,其食品质量安全意识较强,但是,消费者对生鲜认证猪肉自述偏好与现实选择之间存在着较大的差异。消费者受教育程度、消费者家庭月收入、家中是否有18岁以下的孩子和家庭人口规模等是影响其对生鲜认证猪肉自述偏好与现实选择一致性的个人特征和家庭特征因素。消费者对生鲜认证猪肉的意愿支付价格、消费者对质量安全认证知识和认证农产品的了解程度显著正向影响其对生鲜认证猪肉自述偏好与现实选择的一致性。此外,消费者的食品质量安全意识和其所感知到的生鲜猪肉产品的质量安全隐患等变量也会较显著地影响其对生鲜认证猪肉自述偏好与现实选择的一致性。     

The Effect of Self-Sufficiency on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption of China's Rural Households

Multivariate analysis of variance and econometric analysis are used in conjunction to analyze China's rural household consumption behavior across households that differ in the level of self-sufficiency relative to the production/purchase of fruits and vegetables. There is a significant difference in consumption patterns for different households with different levels of self-sufficiency. Households that purchase but do not produce fruits and vegetables exhibit a notably more market-oriented price responsive behavior. The consumption decisions of households that produce fruits and vegetables, but do not purchase them, are influenced more heavily by implicit income effects than by implicit price effects.