JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS RESEARCH
Year:2014 | Volume:6 | Issue:2 (22)|Papers Count:9

In the last decades due to progress in technology of production and efficiency of energy consumption, low quality energy such as coal has been replaced by high quality energy such as electricity. Electricity as a vital input in various sectors especially in agriculture plays a crucially important role in production. Therefore, estimation of consumption and well-timed supply of required electricity in the agriculture sector could increase production. In this study, by utilizing the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm, we first simulate the electricity demand function in the form of linear and exponentials functions for period of 1978-2006 and then we choose the best model according to the existing criteria. The electricity demand is considered as a function of the real price of the electricity in the sector, augmented cost, number of subscribers, and consumption of previous period. Findings of the study demonstrated that the electricity demand had a direct relationship with real price of electricity and indirect relationship with augmented cost, number of subscribers, and consumption in previous period.

Exchange rate is one of the important variables that affect trade. In this paper by using GARCH method, effects of real exchange volatility on agricultural trade in Iran have been determined for period of 1973- 2007. Results of the research showed that real exchange rate volatility with one lag had negative effect on export of agricultural products in the long run. Results also showed that the effect of real exchange rate volatility on agriculture import was positive in the long run and negative in the short run. Finally, some recommendations are made to reduce exchange rate volatility.

The objective of this paper is to determine optimum allocation of inputs in different agricultural sub-sectors by using a combination of econometric methods and Geometric Programming. Selected inputs are labor, capital and energy for allocation to sub-sectors of cultivation, horticulture, livestock, poultry, fisheries and agricultural industries. Panel data was used for period of 1997 to 2010. The results showed that the current pattern of input allocation was not optimum and using inputs based on optimal patterns could increase agriculture value added at least by 5 percent (18,730 billion Rials).

Subsidy imposes heavy financial burden upon public budget and as such Iranian government is looking for improvement of the subsidies programs recently. Since implementation of subsidy reform in 2011, some agricultural inputs subsidies such as fertilizers, pesticides and energy have been reduced. In this study, the effects of Target orientation of subsidies of agricultural inputs on cropping pattern of Varamin Township by using Positive Mathematical Programming approach with maximum entropy techniques have been determined. Policy limits are expressed in terms of two scenarios and the results indicated that acreage of cotton, wheat, barley, alfalfa and corn were less sensitive to increase in inputs prices compare to other crops. Onion was highly sensitive to increase in input prices and was removed from cropping pattern.

In this study, effect of uncertainty due to exchange rate volatility on added value of agriculture sector during years 1978-2011 in Iran was investigated. For this purpose, first fluctuations resulting from exchange rate uncertainty by using GARCH method was calculated. Then, the nature of explanatory variables in the proposed model (Static or unstable variables) using unit root tests was determined. Finally, by the new techniques of convergence and Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL) the effect of uncertainty due to exchange rate and its deviation from the equilibrium route on added value of agriculture sector were investigated. Results showed that effect of the real exchange rate with interruption on the current real exchange rate is positive and significant at 95 Percent confidence level. In addition, results showed that value added variable (with interruptions) and the price index of agricultural products had positive and significant effect and exchange rate volatility and interruptions of agricultural exports had negative effect on added value of agriculture sector. War was ineffective on the dependent variable. In addition, results showed that presented pattern could reduce added value deviations by 36 percent from its equilibrium route. Also, returning to equilibrium conditions take place in three years. It was proposed that an appropriate currency system along with sound agricultural policy could be pursued to remedy the situation.

This paper aims to determine comparative advantage and competitiveness of crops in Isfahan province in agricultural year of 2009-2010 by using policy analysis matrix method. Selected products are wheat, barley, lentil, peas, beans, corn, sunflower, cotton, sugar beet, and watermelon. The results based on DRC showed that Isfahan province had comparative advantage in irrigated wheat, irrigated barley, beans, corn, peas, lentil, sunflower, sugar beet, and watermelon. Results of Nominal Price Coefficient (NPC) showed that coefficients for irrigated and rain -fed wheat, barley, beans, corn, peas, and sunflower were less than 1 and for other crops were more than 1. This indicates that most of crops have not received needed support from government. In addition, the results showed that while farmers received support for tradable inputs from government, the effective price support coefficients for most of crops were less than one.

With respect to impotance of transportation in marketing of agricultural products, this paper aims to assess transportation infrastructure development effect on value added of agricultural sector in selected Iranian provinces using Panel Data model (fixed effect method) in 2000-2011 period. The results show that transportation infrastructure index has positive effect on growth of agriculture sector. It is concluded that with respect the positive effect of transportation on added value of agriculture, investment in this area should be emphasized in the country development strategy and part of its cost could be covered by imposing income tax on commercial agricultural producers.

Small and scattered lands is considered as one of the main obstacles to agricultural development of Iran. The purpuse of this research is to identify factors affecting adoption of land consolidation among wheat growers in Shiraz. Using stratified random sampling and Cochran formula, 480 questionnaires were completed in 2011. The findings showed that the adopters have more access to extension services related to land consolidation and higher attitude regarding benefits of the project. Moreover, they are more intrested to participate in social activities and have more trust and solidarity. The results of logistic regression showed that attitude toward benefits of land consolidation has a positive effect on adoption of land consolidation by the farmers. Distance of lands with other parts and the gross income obtained from wheat sales as economic factors and social trust as social factor have positive effects on adoption of land consolidation. On the other hand, the average size of land, number of pieces of lands, the price of of farmland and steep of the parts have negative effects on the adoption of land consolidation.