The effect of agritourism experience on consumers’ future food purchase patterns

Recent studies on agritourism share a common voice in that the economic benefit of agritourism to farms is significant but rather small. However, the majority of studies examine only the short-term economic impact of agritourism. This suggests that the potential long-run economic impacts of agritourism may not have been empirically investigated yet, leading to underestimation of its net impact. Meanwhile, theories on mere exposure and product familiarity suggest that agritourism may lead tourists to change their agriproduct purchasing patterns after the experience. Thus, this study examines the effect of agritourism experience on consumers' future grocery purchase patterns. Household-level consumer panel data on grocery expenditure is estimated through the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) approach. The results indicate that agritourism experience significantly alters consumers' expenditure patterns in the food categories of grain, vegetable, fruit, meat, and fish. Implications for research and practice are discussed along with the findings of the study.     

中国锯材进口需求弹性分析

基于俄罗斯等国限制中国锯材的出口以及天然林保护工程实施的现实情况,分析中国主要锯材进口国家的相关关系及其对中国锯材进口的影响程度。首先,分析锯材进口需求上升的趋势和中国锯材主要进口国分析,然后分析需求弹性理论基础与LA/AIDS,其次,利用LA/AIDS方法估计与分析中国锯材进口需求弹性,最后,提出建立多元化市场策略、调整中国锯材的进口结构等建议。     

“乡村振兴”背景下贵州省农村居民消费结构研究*——基于LA-AIDS模型的实证分析

［目的］优化农村消费结构,进一步释放农村消费潜能以发挥消费对经济增长的基础性作用,对乡村振兴战略深入推进和缩小地区发展差距等方面均有重要意义,在对贵州省农村居民消费结构变化趋势特征分析基础上,实证研究其农村居民消费结构,并提出相关政策建议。［方法］文章基于1978—2016年贵州省农村居民8类产品消费额及消费价格指数,运用LA-AIDS模型,采用ITSUR估计法和希克斯弹性测算方法对贵州省农村居民消费结构进行分析。［结果］现阶段,贵州省农村居民消费结构由生存型向发展型和享受型过渡,但生存型占比仍较高; 除食品外,各类消费品均富有收入弹性,其中以交通和通讯及文教娱乐这2类最为突出,系数值分别达1897和1571; 食品、衣着、居住、家庭设备和医疗保健5类消费品为生活必需品,交通和通讯及文教娱乐这2类为奢侈品; 食品、文教娱乐和居住这3类消费品价格变化对其他商品消费量影响较大,其中食品、文教娱乐更多存在替代效应,而居住则更多存在挤出效应。［结论］贵州省农村居民消费结构有待进一步优化,需紧紧围绕提高农村居民收入水平这一关键,多措施并举加以促进。     

Urban Households’ Cooking Oil and Fat Consumption Patterns in Turkey: Quality Vs. Quantity

This article investigates households’ cooking oil and fat consumption patterns in Turkey using data from household budget surveys. The almost ideal demand system was employed to analyze demand parameters and elasticities for major five types of oil. Prices were adjusted for quality and the demographic translation method was used to incorporate to demographic variables. Finally, the two stage generalized demand model was used to take into account censory of the dependent variable. Results showed that higher-income and higher-educated consumers consume more quality and healthy oil such as olive oil than lower-income and less educated consumers. According to income elasticities, lower-income consumers are more sensitive to income changes compare to higher-income consumers. Moreover, lower-income consumers are more prices sensitive to olive oil and corn oil than are higher-income consumers.     

Gradual Structural Changes of Meat Consumption in Taiwan

Abstract

This paper utilized a linear approximate version of the Almost Ideal Demand System to evaluate structural changes of meat consumption in Taiwan. Time transition paths for each product were identified, and the first-order autocorrelation was taken into consideration. Structural changes of beef consumption were completed before structural changes of other products had started. Shifts in consumption patterns of pork and poultry took about the same length of time. Structural changes of fishery products occurred toward the end of the time period. With the gradual switching time paths, estimated elasticities revealed that own-price elasticities for pork, beef, and fishery products became more responsive to their own-price changes.     

HIV/AIDS in the transport sector of southern Africa: Operational challenges,research gaps and policy recommendations

The transport sector is an integral element of southern Africa's economic development. The impact of HIV/AIDS on the region is therefore a major cause for concern. Using a method of triangulation, we used the findings of a comprehensive literature review, a stakeholder questionnaire and a United Nations regional workshop to take stock of the existing evidence linking HIV/AIDS to the transport sector. This paper outlines the strategies used to address HIV/AIDS by a range of stakeholders in the road, maritime, aviation and railway transport sectors. It highlights regional, national, and intervention-specific good practice examples in the field, suggesting key research gaps and putting forward policy recommendations for the region. As a result, national action plans will hopefully be able to benefit from this knowledge-sharing, enhanced regional cooperation and implementation of more effective responses to the epidemic in this critical sector.     

艾滋病对我国社会经济影响

基于对我国艾滋病流行较为严重的五个省份进行的问卷调查,对比分析了931户感染者家庭和995户非感染者家庭的相关数据。研究发现,艾滋病对感染者个人及其家庭造成了极大的影响,如导致家庭结构改变、就业机会减少、劳动收入下降、医疗支出明显增大;同时也引发一系列社会经济问题,如贫富差距加大、性别不平等加剧、贫困家庭儿童教育机会减少及社会歧视扩大。最后提出了缓解艾滋病造成影响的对策建议。