Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development
Year:2009 | Volume:16 | Issue:4 (64)|Papers Count:10

Regarding the importance of labor input in production, there were investigated the factors responsible in the growth rate of labor productivity in the agricultural sector of Iran during the years 1970- 2000. In this investigation the growth rate of labor productivity is decomposed into two parts. First, there stands the total substitution effect which consists of the effects due to factor price changes and biased technological change and second, there is the TFP effect composed of the effects due to scale economies and technological progress. Based on empirical estimation, it was found that the TFP effect contributed to the growth of labor productivity much more than the total substitution effect for the period under the question. Based on findings, the effect of total substitution of production factors after Islamic Revaluation period has conceded a rapid growth path compared to the total factor productivity. Therefore the increased labor productivity over the period can be attributed to both of increased total factor productivity and increased total substitution effect of production factors.

The aim of this study is to compare different quantitative forecasting methods including regression and non-regression for forecasting spices import such as cinnamon, cardamoms and curcuma. data for this reason was collected from foreign trade statistics year book of Islamic Republic of Iran during the period of 2004-2010.Based on results of Wallis-Moore Test, curcuma imports are stochastic and cannot be forecasted. In addition, the results of comparison between different methods show that ARMA is the best method in forecasting cinnamon and Cardamoms imports. The forecasting results indicate that cinnamon import will have more fluctuation in the future. Planning for import and quota is a management implication of this study.

The role of land in agricultural production is raised through population increase, regardless of increasing land productivity. Pricing land is. a difficult task because it's unique attributes such as heterogeneity and stability. In this study, the price of agricultural land in Larestan city, Fars province, was considered by Hedonic method in 2007.Results showed that, distance from Larestan and its main road had a negative effect on agricultural land price and land quality had a positive effect. Moreover, there was an inverse relationship number of hectares, percent agricultural land used and percent holding and for agriculture didn't have a significant effect.

Risk conditions and uncertainty in determination of optimal pattern of cultivation in agricultural sector are inevitable. In this research, taking advantage of quadratic stochastic programming model (QSPM) and MOTAD Programming in first step, we are to determine optimum pattern of cultivation for cultivated crops with attention to Risk factor and then we will specify risky crops and the low risk in the Hamadan province during 1999-2004 finally we try to compare those used techniques in this article. The results indicate that wheat produced by irrigated farming in addition to sugar beet and potato have the highest risk while sun flower has the lowest risk among the selected crops of Hamadan Province. Wheat produced by dry farming does not show any reaction towards risk conditions and uncertainty. It is not recommended to cultivate barely and corn in Hamadan province.

Considering the importance of wheat production in sustaining food security and necessity of information about drought impact on yield for the purpose of drought management, this research has estimated a bio-economy function using a 90 sample of rainfed wheat farm and data simulation in Golestan province to estimate the yield reduction and economic drought loss. The results showed that the yield will decrease (130 Kg per hectare) through one percent reduction in soil wetness. Totally, the drought loss resulted from yield diminishing in rainfed lands evaluated as 312000 Rials per hectare and 65 Milliard Rials throughout province. Finally, establishment of drought research center and economic watchdog with the aim of simulation of drought impacts on agricultural sector alongside implementation of low input (water) use production pattern in order to decrease drought impacts is recommended.

Modem marketing is something more than the production of quality goods, appropriate pricing and easy access to product consumers. In a dynamic market the effort of marketing systems is more on consumers and buyers until new demand is generated.Promotion is a component of marketing mix which through it the company interacts with consumers and encourages them to purchase the products through advertising, sales promotion, personal selling and public relation. The marketing and selling of dairy products have more complications and problems in comparison with other products.Applying a suitable combination of promotion mix for dairy products can have considerable effects in information supplying and arousing in consumer the desire to purchase. Choosing appropriate communication ways is based on the position of the audience at the target market. The position of the audience towards the dairy products may be in one of the following triad: cognitive, feeling and behavior. The aim of this study is the investigation of the promotion methods and the determination of the most effective promotion method in terms of its effect on creating positive attitude in the audience towards dairy products. Among the selected 16 appropriate promotion methods for dairy products, by questioning from various groups in 2006 and analysis of responses by means of multi criteria decision making method (ARP), the most effective promotion method for creating awareness in audience towards dairy products, TV advertising has been identified as the most effective promotion method for creating interest and arousing desire in audience towards dairy products, TV advertising has been identified as the most effective promotion method for obtaining potential consumers to purchase dairy products, personal selling has been identified as the most effective promotion method for creating positive attitude in audience towards dairy products, TV advertising has been identified.

The main objectives of this study are to investigate technical efficiency and marketing of cumin in Sabzevar. Data were obtained by random sampling through cumin producers and interviewing them in 2006. In order to estimate technical efficiency, stochastic frontier production function was applied. In addition, Market indexes were calculated.The results showed that it is possible to increase technical efficiency. The marketing, retail and wholesale margins of one kilogram of cumin were calculated as 7000, 3700 and 3300 rials, respectively. Producer's share of cumin in retailer price was high too. Marketing efficiency indicated inefficiency of cumin market.

The data envelopment analysis model (DEA) is the appropriate approach in measuring the efficiency of corporation, while in this model the decision maker is unable to enter the risk condition and the time factors in the results. On the order hand, in the agricultural investigations, the decision maker faces the risk condition and productivity problem. Basically the interval data envelopment analysis (IDEA) is a useful instrument in measuring the efficiency of several corporations with attention to risk condition and imprecise data, when also Window DEA prepares feasibility calculation of productivity. In this study, with taking advantage from IDEA and Window DEA techniques, the technical efficiency of important provinces in production of wheat crop is determined. The results show that among the selected provinces during period 1999-2004 Khoozestan has the highest ranking in productivity whereas Hamadan and East Azarbaijan have the lowest in their agricultural sectors. Also with attention to risk factor, Fars has the highest ranking in efficiency while Kordestan has the lowest in farming wheat.