BIASES IN RESEARCH: THE CASE OF RUBBER GROWING IN MALAYSIA

This paper measures the impact of technological progress in Malaysian rubber growing and tests the hypothesis that past research has been biased in favour of raising the productivity of capital rather than labour. It also demonstrates the methodological usefulness, in relation to a long-lived perennial crop, of separating embodied from disembodied technical change. The analysis indicates that research leading to new embodied technology has not been biased since it has raised the productivity of all input factors at about the same rate over time. However, disembodied technological change has not shifted the production hypersurface in an unambiguously neutral fashion. These results are especially pertinent to the debate about the future direction of rubber growing research.     

SIMULATION MODELS FOR THE SPECIFICATION OF FARM INVESTMENT PLANS

The implicit assumption of the methods currently advocated for the appraisal of investment plans on farms is that the main task is to choose the “best” course of action given a number of alternatives. The specification of these alternatives is a difficult task since there are many ways of performing farm operations because of the heterogeneity of fixed capital. It is proposed in this paper that investment opportunities may become more apparent by building simulation models of existing farming systems. Such models, it is claimed, should assist in identifying points where improvements can be made. The process of harvesting grain on U.K. farms is used to illustrate the suggestion. Some problems of using the simulation technique are also discussed.     

A STOCHASTIC MODEL FOR THE OPTIMAL REPLACEMENT OF RUBBER TREES

Recognizing the lack of realism in optimal replacement analyses that assume constant prices and yield patterns over time, a stochastic model appropriate to rubber production is developed. Data drawn from Peninsular Malaysia are used to implement the model. The results suggest that efforts should be directed towards establishing bench mark maximum annuities as guides to more economic replanting decisions rather than emphasizing earlier replanting per se. The significance of price stabilization policies also becomes evident.     

THE DEMAND FOR LDC EXPORTS OF PRIMARY COMMODITIES: THE CASE OF THE PHILIPPINES*

The economic case for taxing exports rests on the elasticity of demand for the exports concerned, but the true values of these elasticities are controversial. The international demand for Philippine exports of coconut products is examined in this paper. The hypothesis that the Philippines is a 'small country' exporter of coconut products is rejected using the specification of a price-normalised demand equation and the implications of this finding are discussed.     

甘肃矿业投资环境若干问题思考

本文从十个方面对甘肃矿业投资环境分析后提出,要放松进入限制,以开放带动开发,发展外向型矿业经济.立足市场搞开发,不断提升矿业投资的软、硬环境条件,落实矿业投资政策,加大招商引资力度,发挥甘肃矿业在西部大开发中的基础产业作用.     

沿海地区耕地动态平衡的弹性与非弹性问题--以浙江省乐清市为例

以浙江省乐清市为例,探讨了沿海市场经济发育区耕地动态平衡的弹性总是：由沿海乡镇为保证耕地总量动态平衡将水养殖用地调整为耕地这个不尽合理问题,引出对非商品粮基地的沿海区域从追求耕地面积动态平衡与粮食高产稳产的目标转变为保证农产品总量动态平衡或有升与朋农业高产优质高效并重的综合目标;“围海造田”工程,在围垦期间邻近乡镇的土地面积、类型出现弹性变化;城镇边缘区划区定界中,在规划城镇建设用地与一级基本农田保护之间划出一层二级农保区作为过渡区;用地指标分解及耕地减少预测中,对台风等不确定性灾毁部分也留有余地;耕地抛荒撂荒现象使耕地与未利用地之间频繁转化,也使耕地现状指标容易出现水分。耕地动态平衡的难点和非弹性问题。不仅注重数量保护,而且还要确保质量,使土地生产力不至下降;耕地用途变更由拥有土地发展权的国家或政府实施。     

ESTIMATION OF ASSYMETRIC LONGRUN SUPPLY FUNCTIONS: THE CASE OF COFFEE

Far a number of years it has been recognized that there are problems involved in estimating supply functions for commodities whose production employs long-lived inputs. These problems embrace all agricultural production, since equipment durable assets are used in the production of all farm commodities. Nevertheless, and recognition of these problems is perhaps most important for tree based commodities.
This paper demonstrates a method for incorporating decisions about adding or removing durable capital, and applies the technique to the analysis of Brazilian coffee production. The model suggested has wide application to tree fruit production as well, and with modifications to supply analysis for many other commodities.
WE ANALYSE DE LA PRODUCTION DU CAFE - L'on constate, depuis longtemps, qu'ü est très difficile de calculer avec assez de précision les appro visionnements requis dans les secteurs de production qui exigent des investissements à long terme dans des biens mobiliers et immobiliers et de l'outillage. Cela est particulièrement vrai en agriculture où l'outillage qui doit servir longtemps absorbe d'importantes sommes d'argent. Le problème envisagé ici est celui des denrées provenant d'arbres et d'arbustes.
Nous proposons une méthode de calcul des sommes qu'il faut investir dans l'équipement durable et, à titre d'exemple, nous appliquons cette méthode à la production du café brézilien. A partir de la, l'on peut comprendre que ce mode de calcul peut être utilise dans un grand nombre d'exploitations d'arbre fruitiers et même d'autres denrées.     

THE INFLUENCE OF THE AGRI-MONETARY SYSTEM ON AGRICULTURAL TRADE IN THE EC: THE CASE OF SUGAR

It is hypothesised that the mechanics of the agri-monetary system impose shocks on EC agricultural markets which influence the Community's agricultural trade flows. A model illustrating links between agri-monetary changes and trade flows of sugar is presented. Empirical tests suggest that agri-monetary changes influence the volume and timing of sugar trade. Hypotheses relating the strength of this influence to self-sufficiency and other factors specific to Member States are discussed, as are the welfare costs of agri-monetary trade distortions. Although these welfare costs are unlikely to spark agrimonetary reform, they could be given consideration in the reform made inevitable by the Single European Market.     

THE EROSION OF AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS IN AN OIL ECONOMY: THE CASE OF NIGERIA

After several years of oil production and exports with attendant revenue influx, the sector is yet to make a significant impact in Nigeria's economic growth. Contrary to the hopes and expectations that greeted the oil discovery, the non-oil export sector of the economy, more specifically the agricultural sector, has been declining consistently with further increases in oil exports. This paper is intended to provide an empirical analysis of an aspect of structural change that has taken place in the Nigerian economy. The hypothesis investigated is that an increase in oil exports results in higher relative prices on non-tradeable to tradeable goods and an appreciation of the domestic currency, hence a loss of the competitiveness of the agricultural export sector in the international market. This phenomenon, popularly known as the ‘Dutch disease’, has been vigorously discussed in the United Kingdom, Norway and the Netherlands, has also received much attention from Australian economists in relation to minerals.     

谈企业的对外投资风险及其规避

文章针对企业普遍存在的投资成功率低,投资效益低的问题,进行了投资失误原因分析,提出了规避投资风险的想法与措施.     

中国主要城市投资环境评价

选取了中国35个主要城市作为研究实体,采用AHP与主成份分析相结合的方法对其综合的分要素的投资环境进行了评价并就评价结果作了简要解释分析。     

PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURAL EXTERNALITIES: A CONCEPTUAL MODEL WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH

Using a bargaining model the interaction between agriculture and the environment is explored. Application of the model to nitrogen pollution and management agreements directs attention to the research needs for achieving more rational environmental management     

DISTRIBUTION OF RESEARCH GAINS UNDER DIFFERENT MARKET STRUCTURES: THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE WITHIN THE UK DAIRY INDUSTRY

This paper describes a model for assessing the aggregate level and distribution of benefits within the UK dairy industry from research aimed at reducing the costs of dairying equipment and machinery. The effect of the market structure of the farming and processing sectors is examined. It is shown, in this model, that the machinery sector always loses from a technological advance. The benefits and losses to the other sectors depend on the organisational structure of farmers and processors. Finally, the effect of imposing a levy on farmers to pay for research is discussed. The losses are shown not to be distributed in the same way as the research gains. The results have direct implications for the funding of research.     

TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE IN THE ARID ZONE OF NEW SOUTH WALES

The results described challenge the generally accepted interpretation of the factors underlying the changes in sheep numbers in the arid zone of New South Wales. The extent to which long-run changes in rainfall have been ignored is highlighted. Estimates of output per man are derived, using the C.E.S. production function, which show that there has been a small positive rate of technological change. Three-quarters of such technological advance has been due to factors which affect numbers of sheep carried, the remainder due to factors affecting wool production per sheep.     

TAXES,INVESTMENT INCENTIVES AND THE COST OF AGRICULTURAL INPUTS

This paper examines the effects of taxes and investment incentives on relative capital/labour costs on farms of different sizes. Income tax relief reduces the cost of purchased non-capital inputs to farmers, while investment incentives reduce the cost of capital items. A framework is developed for calculating the relative magnitudes of these effects and it is shown that capital costs have been reduced relative to labour costs throughout the post-war period in the U.K. and on large farms (paying a higher tax rate) more than on small farms.