Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development
Year:2002 | Volume:10 | Issue:2 (38)|Papers Count:13

Pistachio has been a major exported agricultural commodity in Iran for the past few decades. Currently, it ranks first in Iran"s agricultural exports. The nation is also the first producer of pistachio in the world.The present study evaluated Iran"s comparative advantage in pistachio using DRC and RCA indicators. The findings showed that the nation has comparative advantage both in the production and export of this commodity. There are three main issues limiting the full realization of this comparative advantage. The first problem goes back to low productivity, as the nation ranked seventh among ten largest pistachio producers in the world. Second and third limitations relate to ineffective marketing and monopolies of purchasers.

"Attribution Theory" is one of the most widely quoted theories in the field of motivation. This theory discusses the explanations and justifications of individuals about success and failures. According to the theory, individuals attribute the results of their actions to four main reasons: ability, effort, task difficulty, and luckThe present research aimed to identify the factors to which farmers attributed their success and failures in wheat production. The research used field survey and two-stage stratified random sampling methods. Totally 130wheat farmers from two districts in Behbahan Township were interviewed using a questionnaire.The findings shoes that there was a significant positive correlation between wheat production and attribution to effort and ability. At the same time wheat production had a significant negative correlation with task difficulty and luck. Also is had a significant positive correlation with attribution to internal factors. The study concluded that there was a need to undertake awareness and training programs to change the attribution styles, and enhance the confidence and sense of responsibility, of farmers who attribute to external factors.

The present paper reports a study on technical efficiency and return to scale of broiler production units in Hamadan Province. Questionnaires on autumn and winter seasons were filled out by 85 sample units, which constituted 20% of the total population. Software DEAPv.2.1 was used for calculations.The results showed that the mean technical efficiency under constant return to scale and variable return to scale were, respectively, 39.5% and 64.4%, the mean scale efficiency was 60.2%. The difference between the mean efficiency under VRS assumption and the best efficient unit is about 35.6%. Assuming the omission of this difference through technical improvement, production would increase by 35.6%. It must be mentioned that over 88% (75 units) had augmenting efficiency, 5.9% (5 units) decreasing efficiency, and another 5.9% (five units) had constant efficiency ratio to scale.

Domestic cooking oil supply accounts for only 10% of the nation"s demand, the remainder being imported out of considerable hard currency expenditure. Increased production of oilseeds, therefore, is an important objective in Iranian agriculture. For planning and decision making authorities to take informed decisions on this sub- sectors, the socio-economic and technological factors influencing farmer"s behavior toward oilseeds production must be studied.The present paper reports the results of a study on factors determining soybean production in Golestan Province in 1999-2000 crop year, explained that Golestan is the largest producer of oilseeds in Iran. Using TOBIT econometrics method, and cross section data, the study found out that the most influential factors in soybean area expansion in this province were: farm size; farmers experience; farm distance to Oilseeds Development Company premises; access to farm machinery; occurrence of podding disorder; percentage of grade minus assigned by the Oilseeds Company to farmers" delivered soybean; and the type of irrigation water source ownership.

Grape is the most important orchard product in Kohkiluyeh va Boirahmad province. The present study aimed to analyze the production economics and evaluate the grape producers efficiency. Using a field research method and stratified random sampling, the study selected 82 sample producers in Boyrahmad and Gachsaran townships, the main grape areas in the province. Interviews were carried out in 1999-2000crop year and technical efficiencies were evaluated using transcendental stochastic frontier production function. Also, the effects of various social and economic factors were studied at producer level. The results indicated that the average technical efficiency of grape growers was 68.6% and 62.1% respectively, in Boyrahmad and Gachsaran townships. The study also presented a number of recommendations to improve production conditions and grape producers technical efficiency.

The present paper analyzes the impacts of sectoral export growth and export instability on economic growth. The study used a regression model proposed by Feder (1982) and Khalilian- Haphar (2000), with time series data of the Iranian economy during 1968-95.The results showed that export indices had a meaningful impact on the economic growth in industry and mining and oil sectors, but no significant impacts on agriculture and services sectors. It was also found out that export instability had a negative impact on agriculture, industry and mining sectors. Instability in oil exports, however, stimulated growth in other sectors. The sttidy concluded that commodity and geographical diversification is essential for reducing the negative impacts of export instability on sectoral growth.

Having a good knowledge of comparative advantages in production and export is essential in determining realistic export-oriented strategies for economic development of nation. Economists like Balassa, Hilman, Wallrath and Yeats, have introduced several methods to measure comparative advantage. Balassa"s "Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA)", complemented by Hillman"s condition, is one of such measures, which focuses on comparative advantages in export.This paper attempts to determine the comparative advantages of food industry in Iran, with an aim identify the commodities with the highest potential for export.

In the recent decade, in particular in the last years of the 20th century, the challenge of fresh water shortage emerged as a global crisis, and as a very critical theme for international debates. Many countries relay on border rivers to partial supply of their water demands. In Iran, water of such sources does not posses a significant share of the total water supply at national level. At provincial level, however, there are some regions where transboundary water plays a criticai role. Being one of such provinces, Sistan faces severe damages to agriculture and other vital activities whenever Hirmand River flow declines. The average annual discharge of Hirmand River is about 4.6 billion cubic meters. There are also other rivers from Afghanistan contributing an additional volume of 2.8 billion cubic meters to Hamoon international wetland. This is while the total contribution of domestic rivers rarely exceeds 0.6 billion cubic meters. The probable diversion of Hirmand River"s flow to "Goode Zereh," a region in western Afghanistan, without allocating a share to Iran has raised concerns about water management in the region, particularly for Hamoon wetland. The legal regime of Hirmand River has been a major political issue over the last century. Both Iran and Afghanistan recognize the river"s middle bed as their international border. Debates remain, however, on water sharing, utilization in delta zone and other rights on the river.

Reconstruction programs are implemented, since 1989, as part of rural development programs by the Ministry of Jihad-e Agriculture. They include a study of socio-economic, environmental, and physical aspects of rural areas, aimed to identify central villages and improve their infrastructure and other capacities to support surrounding villages. Many operational and other problems, however, rise in the course of their implementation. The present study aimed to identify these problems. Two types of questionnaires, one for villages and other for rural households, were filled out by 230 sample interviewees, and SPSS software was used to analyze the data. The results showed a significant (99%) of awareness of villagers to the objectives of the programs, people"s participation and satisfaction of people with the implementation of reconstruction programs. This finding was also approved using Chi-square method. The step-wise multiple regression entered eight variables, as the main problems to the regression equation. They included: destruction of buildings for alleys expansion, poor peoples participation, low credits, too long duration implementation, inadequate attention to villagers needs, d projects, and management problem.

Like many other tribes, the Kurd Tribe, the largest nomadic community in Ilam province, has many of its member families settled in the recent years. The present paper compares the livestock production systems of these settled families against the system practiced by the pastorals. Data was collected from 250 questionnaires for pastoral and 157 for settled nomads.The results showed that the combination of herds were different in the two communities. In the settles nomads, the proportion of sheep and cattle increased by 7% and 2.4% respectively, while the proportion of goats and other livestock decreased by 8.3% and 1.1%. The livestock products of the Kurd Tribe included meat, dairy products, and wools, respectively accounting for 77.2%, 20.2% and 2.6% of the annual income of the pastoral communities, the same figures being 81.5% , 16.9% and 1.6% for the settled nomads. In the pastoral nomads, the annual cost of fattening per head of sheep, goats, and cattle was higher than that in the settled communities by, 1.50%, 1.51% and 1.47%, respectively. This was while the incomes per settled family was 18.16% higher than in the pastoral areas.