Green Food Consumption in China: Segmentation Based on Attitudes Toward Food Safety

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this report are twofold: to examine the demographic factors that drive demand for green food and to segment Chinese consumers based on their attitudes toward food safety. An online survey was used to collect consumer behavior information. A total of 402 responses were obtained covering participants who lived in 24 provinces and municipalities in China. Probit modeling, analysis of variance, and cluster analysis are used. Income, education, age, gender, presence of young children, household size, and overseas experience are variables that have an impact on green food purchase. Young, wealthy men, who have young children and live in a small household, are likely to buy green food. The survey shows that Chinese consumers are willing to pay a price premium for green food; however, price will be a major factor restricting the growth of the green food label in China, given market prices. Three segments―the “distrustful consumer,” the “ambivalent consumer,” and the “trusting consumer”―are identified for market segmentation purposes.     

An Investigation into Factors Affecting the Occupational Choices of Nominated Farm Heirs in Ireland

The resilience of family farming is an important feature of the structure of the farming industry in many countries, due largely to the ‘smooth’ succession of farms from one generation to the next. The stability of this structure is now threatened by the widening gap between the income expected from farming when compared with non‐farming occupations in an economy like Ireland, operating at almost full employment. Nominated farm heirs are increasingly unlikely to choose full‐time farming as their preferred occupation. To identify the factors that affect this occupational choice, a multinomial logit model is developed and applied to Irish data to examine the farm, economic and personal characteristics that influence a nominated heir's decision to enter farming as opposed to some non‐farming occupation. The results show a significant negative relationship between higher education and the choice of full‐time farming as an occupation. The interdependence between education and occupational choices is further explored using a bivariate probit model. The main findings are: the occupational choice and the decision to continue with higher education are made jointly; the nominated heirs on more profitable farms are less likely to pursue tertiary education and therefore more likely to enter full‐time farming. The model developed is sufficiently general for studying the phenomenon of succession on farms.     

Consumption of dairy products in urban China: results from Beijing, Shangai and Guangzhou

Using urban survey data collected by the authors in 2001–02, this paper analyses demographics, cultural factors and purchasing behaviours influencing the consumption of fresh milk, yogurt, ice cream and powered milk in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, China. Results from estimation of a double-hurdle model of consumption show that income and marketing channels are the key determinants of milk consumption levels; however, education, advertising and convenience play a more important role in consumption of other dairy products. There is some evidence that milk powder, as a consumer good, may be becoming an inferior product in urban China. Finally, the survey data suggest that the growing sophistication of China's retail sector is influencing consumption of dairy products.     

Interaction between crop insurance and technology adoption decisions: The case of wheat farmers in Chile

This paper examines relationships between crop insurance and input technology decisions among Chilean wheat farmers. Using nationwide farm‐level data, a bivariate probit model is estimated. We investigate the extent to which the adoption of production input technologies is associated with farmers’ participation in the insurance program. We find that relationships between insurance and technology decisions are significant only for family farmers. In particular, there is a negative relationship between participation in the insurance program and the adoption of modern irrigation. Interpretations based on the role of input technologies on insurance adoption and adverse selection behaviours are discussed.     

Market and Other Factors Affecting Farm Specific Production Efficiency in Pig Production in Vietnam

ABSTRACT

In developing country production environment, farm production efficiency is often measured in terms of on-farm resources and producer characteristics. In this paper we postulate that input and output market related factors also influence farm production decisions hence its efficiency. Stochastic frontier production function was used to assess technical efficiency and its determinants including input and output market variables for a sample of 1962 pig farms in Vietnam with data collected in 1999. There are significant differences in production behavior and efficiency level between the North and the South, among farms producing different breeds, between mixed and specialized farms, between household and commercial farms, and among producers located in different agro-ecological regions. Access to better output market, land size, herd size, and education of household head significantly reduced inefficiency, while access to government supplied inputs, age of household head, female headed households and family supplied crude feeds significantly increased inefficiency in both the regions. The direction of influence on efficiency differs between the two regions for access to credit, proportion of output sold at market rather than at farm gate and family labor supply. Generally, market related factors had more consistent influence on production efficiency in the South of Vietnam where the experience of market economics is longer compared to the North. Policy actions on providing better extension, more timely access to better quality inputs through the private sector, making credit more easily accessible to smallholders and opportunity to sell output at better priced secondary markets are expected to increase productivity and reduce inefficiency.     

我国城镇居民水产品消费影响因素分析

本文通过建立城镇居民水产品消费的双对数需求模型,考察了居民收入水平、水产品自身价格和相关商品价格对水产品需求量的影响.模型结果表明,影响城镇居民水产品消费的因素主要是居民人均收入水平和水产品价格,且前者与水产品人均消费量呈正相关,后者与水产品人均消费量呈负相关.     

国有林区人才流动意愿影响因素分析

利用黑龙江省国有林区森工企业中具有中专及以上学历的人才作为样本数据,建立国有林区人才流动意愿的Logistic模型,分析影响国有林区人才流动意愿的主要因素。结果表明:林区人才流动的意愿受人才自身的性别、学历、家庭教育、医疗负担、工作环境、企业用人机制以及地区经济发展水平等因素的影响。提出加强国有林区基本建设、提高企业管理水平、完善林区社会保障制度等政策建议。     

The effects of housing preference for an apartment on residential location choice in Seoul: A random bidding land use simulation approach

This study evaluates the impact of medium- and high-income households’ preference for apartments on residential location choice by constructing a random utility-based land use simulation model of the Seoul metropolitan area. The simulation results imply that apartment preference of medium- and high-income groups would have contributed to providing more apartment units (about 14.2% of total apartment units supplied), more housing units in the suburbs (61,000 more housing units in the suburbs), and higher apartment rent premiums in wealthy communities than the assumed housing market under the counterfactual scenario in terms of housing type, location, and rents.     

农户林地未流转行为影响因素分析

主要从实证角度论证了农户未流转行为的三方面关系。其中,运用Logistic回归模型所得出的结果显示林地经营规模影响农户对林地的需求,但不影响农户对林地的供给,且与农户的未流入行为为非线性关系;资金状况显著影响农户的未流入行为,而家庭非农收入比重并不显著影响农户的未流出行为;林业服务状况对未流入和未流出行为有不同程度的作用。因此,为促进林地的流转应主要解决好资金和服务体系建设两大问题。     

河北省农民收入影响因素分析

2019年中央一号文件提出,2019—2020年是全面建成小康社会的决胜期,"三农"领域有不少必须完成的硬任务,必须坚持把解决好"三农"问题作为全党工作的重中之重不动摇。而解决"三农"问题的核心是增加农民收入,增加农民收入是河北省经济发展中的一个重要问题。本文首先通过观察2003—2018年河北省农民人均可支配收入状况,收集基本数据,确定城镇化水平、农产品人均占有量、农产品生产价格指数和农村人均消费支出四个影响因素;其次运用计量经济学模型和Eviews8.0软件进行分析和检验;最后根据拟合后的计量模型,得到农民人均可支配收入与农村人均消费支出和城镇化水平两个指标都成明显正相关关系:在其他指标不变时,农村人均消费支出每增加1元、城镇化水平每提升8%,农民人均可支配收入就分别增加0.88元和129.11元。本文根据所得结论提出了对策及建议,并结合实际为河北省农民增收探索新途径。     

基于不同住房属性视角的土地供应规模对房价的影响

研究目的：基于住房消费品和投资品的双重属性视角分析住宅用地供应规模对房地产市场的差异化影响。研究 方法：理论分析、固定效应面板回归模型、门槛回归模型。研究结果：（1）上一年住宅用地供应面积增加 1% 可使当年 住房竣工面积显著增加 0.17%,弱于房地产投资资金对住房竣工面积所产生的 0.25% 的提升作用,该结果一定程度上 验证了住宅用地供应与住房供给之间存在生产函数渠道的影响路径;（2）基于实际房价与租金还原房价的偏离程度测 算,发现不同房地产市场投资热度下,住宅用地供应对房价影响存在双重门槛效应,门槛值分别为 2.05 和 2.92;（3）低 投资热度下,上一年住宅用地供应规模的增加可显著降低当年的房价,而高投资热度下则会起到推高房价的作用。研 究结论：住房作为消费品和投资品,存在不同的价格机制和供求规律。当住房市场以投资品属性为主导时,需求曲线 向上的刚性走势违反了一般的商品需求规律,供给曲线的右移将导致均衡价格越来越高。     

Latent Class Analysis of Consumer Preferences for Wine in Tirana,Albania

This research aimed to determine wine attributes preferred by consumers in Tirana, Albania, and consumer segments based on preferences and sociodemographic factors. To accomplish these objectives, a conjoint choice experiment was designed. Data were analyzed with the latent class approach. Initial results showed a 5-class model fit best. Results indicated that younger people tend to prefer Italian wines over domestic wines, whereas some older consumers strongly prefer domestic, lower priced wines. Other domestic wine consumers sought higher prices, possibly indicating a niche demand for high-quality Albanian wines. The wine industry and its marketers might use this information to strategically market their wine to different groups. Overall, the majority of the respondents preferred Italian wines, but many might be persuaded toward domestic wine. Government assistance in standardizing the quality of wine and introducing new grape cultivars and efficient farming practices should aid long-term competitiveness of domestic wine in Albania.     

Impact of Religion on Halal Meat Consumption Decision Making in Belgium

This study investigates the determinants of halal meat consumption within a Belgian Muslim migration population using the theory of planned behavior as a conceptual framework, with a focus on the role of self-identity as a Muslim and acculturation in the host country. Cross-sectional data were collected through a survey with 367 Muslims mainly originating from North Africa and living in Belgium. Findings reveal that in general, a positive health attitude toward halal meat predicts the intention to consume halal meat among Muslims. Perceived lack of safety measures or poor belief in the safety controls are shown to be potential barriers preventing Muslim consumers from eating halal meat. Low acculturated Muslims rely strongly on their positive personal attitude toward the health status of halal meat, whereas high acculturated Muslims rely on health attitude, animal welfare attitudes, and safety when intending to consume halal meat. Muslims with a high Muslim self-identity intend to eat halal meat because they believe that it is healthy whereas Muslims with a low Muslim self-identity are rather influenced by religious peers, together with their personal health attitude and availability concerns.     

农户农林复合经营意愿影响因素分析

基于福建省6个县(市) 30个村300位农户的调查数据,运用二元Logistic回归模型识别影响农户农林复合经营意愿的因素,结果表明:耕地面积、项目支持对农户农林复合经营意愿具有显著的正向影响,而户主年龄、家庭劳动力人数却具有显著的负向影响。基于此,从农户特征、资源禀赋特征、技术特征、政府出台政策4个方面提出促进农林复合经营的政策建议:应培养新型职业农民,带动年龄较大户主转变观念,助力农林复合经营发展;规范和鼓励林地、耕地流转或联户经营,适度扩大土地经营规模,促进形成农林复合经营规模经济,推动农林复合经营产业化发展;通过项目支持建设示范基地,带动农户参与农林复合经营,促进示范基地健康有序发展,创新技术推广,推动科技成果转化;调整资金补贴,规范资金有效使用和统筹管理。     

Factors Determining Joint Venture Formation in the Agribusiness Sector of Sub-Saharan African Countries

This paper reviews the definition and the importance of joint ventures (J.V.'s) as well as the determining factors for their formation with particular reference to agribusiness in sub-Saharan African countries. The study provides evidence to show: · that African countries have increasingly attempted to create an attractive environment to encourage foreign investment in general, and J.V.'s in particular; · and that where J.V.'s have been successfully established the host countries have benefited substantially. The paper concludes that while the various reforms underway in terms of political changes, liberalisation of regulations, privatisation, and other measures taken by African countries should encourage J.V. formation, much remains to be done as regards proper implementation of policies, promotion of entrepreneurship, strengthening regional markets, overcoming the debt crisis, and improvement of the infrastructure, all of which would require substantial support from the international community.     

Determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption in Malaysia: an ordinal system approach*

We examine the socio‐demographic determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption using household survey data from Malaysia. A bivariate ordered probability model is developed by the copula approach. Results for a system of fruit and vegetable servings per week indicate that education, age, ethnicity, income, location of residence, smoking status and health conditions are significant predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption in Malaysia. Policy implications are suggested.     

农民对农地保障功能的主观认知差异及影响因素分析——基于浙、赣、桂三省506份农户调查

研究目的:实证分析农民对农地保障功能的主观认知及区域差异,应用排序选择模型研究农地保障功能主观认知差异的影响因素,并提出相关政策建议。研究方法:描述统计分析,排序选择模型。研究结果:浙、赣、桂三省506份农户问卷中,64.2%的农户认为承包地对他们生活的总体作用并不大,但94.7%的农户同时认为种田虽然不赚钱,但可以为基本生活提供最后保障;浙、赣、桂三省农民在"承包地对他们生活总体作用"这一问题的主观认知上存在显著区域差异;影响农民对农地保障功能主观认知的因素主要有人均耕地面积、农地收入占家庭总收入比重、村庄离县城(城市)的交通距离以及区域宏观区位特征等。研究结论:要大力提高农户农业收入,切实保障农民土地权益;要推进农地流转与使用制度改革,实现土地要素的有效流转和适度集中;应充分认识农地保障功能存在区域差异这一现实背景,考虑不同农户主体自身禀赋和区域资源、经济和社会发展条件的差异性,因地制宜进行农地产权制度创新。