Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development
Year:2008 | Volume:16 | Issue:2 (62)|Papers Count:9

By using cross-section data of 1384-85 of North Khorasan Province and Multiple-objective Linear Fuzzy Fractional Programming, this article tries to represent cultivation model corresponding with sustainable agriculture, and compares this model with result of simple Linear Programming and present cultivation model. Data were gathered through filling out 627 questionnaires from 55 villages by using two-stage random sampling method. Results of large- scale farms showed that the model offered by linear programming model is near to present cultivation model, meanwhile there is non-negligible difference between sustainable cultivation model and results of linear programming model and present cultivation model. Multiple-objective Linear Fuzzy Fractional Programming will reduce diversification of cultivation model. Based on this programming model, in large-scale farms, irrigated lands cultivation model, will change to wheat and in rain-fed lands, cultivation model will change to wheat and lentil. Also, this optimal cultivation model will reduce Gross Margin of present cultivation model by 51 percentages. This result in short-scale farm is different, to some extent. In order to gain sustainable cultivation model it is not necessary to make change a lot in present cultivation model, in short scale farms irrigated lands cultivation model, will change to wheat, barley and com and rain-fed lands cultivation model will change to wheat, barley and lentil. In this status, this optimal cultivation model will reduce Gross Margin of optimal cultivation model of present cultivation model by 19 percentages.

Saffron is important because of low water requirements, high employment rate and high export value, in agricultural sector and this research is an attempt to study the factors which affect saffron export. For this purpose, supply and demand functions of saffron for both long and short term periods were estimated by using FIML method. We use time series data during 1987-2004 and demand and supply elasticity is calculated as well. The results show that although Iran can increase its income in short term by increasing the price, it needs more other appropriate policies to be taken in long term. Moreover, supply can be affected by price policy in long term rather than short term. Finally some policies and proposals are advised so that applying a few instruments in short and long run can be conductible at this case.

Agricultural crop insurance provides protection for participating fanners against the financial losses caused by droughts, floods, or other natural disasters. Fanners' participation is voluntary. Although it is important to encourage as many fanners as possible to adopt crop insurance, a more crucial task is continuation of insurance by fanners. Therefore, study of determinants of continuation of agricultural insurance by fanners can play an important role in success of Agricultural Products Insurance Fund programs. A nationwide multi-stage random sample of 1241 fanners was interviewed in a survey research methodology in 2004. Diffusion, farm-structure and integrated models were used as the theoretical base of the study. The findings indicated that satisfaction from insurance, attitudes towards insurance, bank accountability, amount of indemnity received and degree of awareness about insurance are among the most important factors contributing towards continuation of crop insurance by farmers. Recommendations for better practice are offered.

Reliance of agriculture export upon domestic product conditions and international markets in one side and several obstacles from production to target market in the other side have been effective in failing to access the agriculture export goals. Successful export needs three basic necessities: competitive product, market recognition, correct and well-timed transportation. During the period considered in this study (1991-2005), these necessities were not in hand for agriculture export suitability. There were several obstacles and problems, that identification and removal of them were necessary to agriculture export development. So that at this study using experts' opinions we have determined strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of agriculture export. Finally presenting political suggestions about agriculture export development, suitable conditions have been provided to policy makers and administrators of agriculture export.The results show that weaknesses and threats of agriculture export are more than its strengths and opportunities, agriculture products are not competitive and customer-admired and furthermore agriculture export has not any specific strategies.

Identification of price determination conduct in agriculture commodities market is an important problem in marketing process because market structure and conduct conditions (competitive or noncompetitive) can affect produced agriculture commodity, and thereby can affect surpluses of different groups of society. Utilizing monthly data for 1998-2005, marketing margin model of beef and lamb are estimated and then market power in farm and retail levels are evaluated. Results imply that there is competitiveness in farm and retail levels of beef and lamb.

Tomato is one of the major vegetables in Marvdasht Township, though the marketing process of this crop has always been faced with main problems. In this research, meanwhile the identity of different marketing paths of this township's tomato - including six fresh consumption and processing paths- economic evaluation of each mentioned path has been considered. For this purpose, different marketing margins, the share of marketing elements from the final price of crop, marketing cost coefficient and marketing efficiency have been calculated for each crop marketing path. The data are cross sectional and related to 2005 and have been gathered via 147 questionnaires (containing 5 types of questionnaires) using simple random sampling. The most important results of this study show that the processing path has the maximum amount of marketing cost and the marketing margin (Rls. 1345 and Rls. 1870 respectively). In this minimum amount and has been about a quarter. In the fresh consumption path, while shortening the length of path, the marketing costs, the marketing margin and the sum of middlemen's share from the final price of crop (marketing cost coefficient) have been decreased and as a result, the share of producer from the final price of crop has been increased. Also, the processing path has had the maximum amount of technical efficiency (0.985) and also the total efficiency (0.265), whereas this path has had the low price efficiency (0.28). Also, in the fresh-consumption path while shortening the length of marketing path, the price efficiency and the total efficiency have been decreased, but the technical efficiency has been increased.And in general, about all marketing paths it can be expressed that the price efficiency is considerably lower than the technical efficiency, and the total marketing efficiency is also in a low level.

Determining the strategy of agricultural commodities production and choosing between comparative advantage and self-sufficiency, is one of the main problems that occupied agricultural policy makers' mind in recent years. This paper tries to compare comparative advantage and self-sufficiency indices for wheat to suggest suitable wheat production strategy.In this article we use policy analysis matrix method for calculating comparative advantage and then, after studying wheat situation from self sufficiency point of view and calculating self-sufficiency coefficient, suitable strategy for wheat has been suggested. Calculated DRC for irrigated wheat is 0.73 and for dried wheat is 0.72 and this indicates a comparative advantage of wheat in Iran.Protection indices results also show the presence of government protecting wheat production.Self-sufficiency coefficient result indicates that protection of wheat has caused the enhancement of self-sufficiency coefficient of wheat in recent years in addition to an access to self-sufficiency boundary, thus we can conclude that in special case of wheat production, self-sufficiency and comparative advantages are not opposing policies therefore the expansion of wheat production to reach self-sufficiency and entering export market is suggested.