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Results 91 to 120 of 613:

Subsidy policies for the grain supply chain considering postharvest loss of grain and agricultural pollutant emission in ChinaOriginal Paper

Pan Liu, Bin Zhao, Haodong Tang, Jiamin Zhu

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(5):207-225


To reduce agricultural pollutant emission (APE) and postharvest loss of grain (PHLG), the Chinese government enacted a series of subsidy policies; however, the profit-oriented supply chain members are seriously lacking or reducing APE and PHLG efforts. To address this issue, we considered as the research objective a grain supply chain consisting of a producer, a retailer and the government. We proposed the concept and functional expressions of supply chain members’ reduction efforts for APE and PHLG. We then proposed two main variables: the environmental innovation subsidy coefficient and the quantity attenuation factor of grain. According to the actual situation, four investment subsidy models were proposed. The results showed the following: i) supply chain members’ equilibrium prices and incomes were negatively correlated with the degree of the producer’s APE effort regardless of whether the supply chain members were investing in PHLG technology; ii) when the government subsidises APE and PHLG technology for other supply chain members, the government should stop subsidising the retailer’s inputs in reduction loss technology to ensure that the government’s own interests are not damaged; iii) the government’s income was restricted by the degree of its subsidising of other supply chain members. This study provides a theoretical support for the government to formulate appropriate policies to reduce APE and PHLG, which is important for maintaining national food security.

How does single- or double-cropped rice policy influence spatially irrigated land value in China?Original Paper

Yuqun Dong, Yaming Zhuang

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(6):279-290 | DOI: 10.17221/49/2024-AGRICECON


Rice cropped policy has been constantly changing, affecting the value of irrigated land. This study aims to examine distribution patterns of irrigated land value from a new perspective of uncertainties in single- and double-cropped rice policies in China. The real options approach was employed to calculate irrigated land value under policy uncertainty, and Moran’s index was applied to identify the spatial distribution characteristics of irrigated land value at the provincial level. The empirical results were as follows: significantly positive spatial correlations existed between the land value under two cropped rice policies. The northeast region of China had a low-value clustering effect based on geographical characteristics. In contrast, the southern provinces of China had a high-value clustering effect based on the criteria of administrative regions. This study considered policy uncertainty when evaluating the economic effect on irrigated land when revealing spatial correlation in land value. We provide a theoretical and empirical basis for the formulation of cropped rice policies.

Digital economy and rural household resilience: Evidence from ChinaOriginal Paper

Jianghong Xu, Chenguang Wang, Xukang Yin, Weixin Wang

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(5):244-263


Enhancing the resilience of rural households against the impacts of risks and moulding their enduring strength despite modest scale holds paramount contemporary significance for a multitude of developing nations, including China. This study uses the microdata of the China Labor-Force Dynamics Survey (CLDS), systematically measures the rural household resilience index for the first time, analyses the impact of the digital economy on the resilience of rural households, and dissects the group differences and mechanism of action. We found that from 2012 to 2018, the Chinese rural household resilience index had significant differences in time and space, and village market, gentry assistance, economic organisation, and income from collective operation were the most important indicators affecting the rural household resilience index. The improvement of the digital economy index, to some extent, suppressed the improvement of the rural household resilience index. Meanwhile, heterogeneity analysis suggested that depending on family size and housing property rights, the impact of the digital economy on the resilience of rural households will be divided. Moreover, mechanism analysis showed that the digital economy further affected the resilience of rural households through the employment comprehensive effect, income structure effect and member security effect.

Do peers and agglomeration affect farm efficiency?Original Paper

Sunhyung Min, Kwansoo Kim

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(8):395-405 | DOI: 10.17221/99/2024-AGRICECON


This study investigates peer effects and agglomeration impacts on the cost efficiency of South Korean rice farms using a five-year panel dataset of production costs. We employed a time-varying stochastic frontier cost function approach to estimate cost efficiency and a linear-in-means model to quantify peer influences. The findings underscore peer effects as central to understanding and enhancing farm productivity, particularly in rice farming regions. Both specialisation and diversity of agglomeration positively influenced efficiency, with specialisation having a larger impact. Peer effects were stronger in highly rice-specialised areas. These findings indicate the necessity of incorporating peer influences and regional specialisation in agricultural policymaking for productivity enhancement. A nuanced, evidence-based approach leveraging peer dynamics and agglomeration economies is advocated to boost the efficiency of farming practices.

A study on the impact of ageing and agricultural infrastructure construction on the agricultural green total factor productivityOriginal Paper

Meng Meicui, Mu Shaoyan, Cao Yanqiao

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2025, 71(3):113-129 | DOI: 10.17221/273/2024-AGRICECON


In an era marked by an ageing agricultural workforce and intensifying environmental pressures, agricultural infrastructure plays a crucial role in enhancing green productivity. This study investigates the impact of agricultural infrastructure construction and population ageing on agricultural green total factor productivity (agricultural GTFP), utilising provincial panel data from 2004 to 2022 in China. Our findings reveal that the agricultural infrastructure construction significantly boosts agricultural GTFP and significantly mitigates the negative effects of ageing on agricultural green production at the 0.01 level. Notably, different types of infrastructure exhibit varying impacts, with electricity and irrigation infrastructure demonstrating the most significant positive effects. We further identify a strong mediating effect of farmland transfer and agricultural mechanisation in facilitating infrastructure-driven agricultural GTFP growth. Our analysis reveals a pronounced regional heterogeneity, with non-food producing, central, western regions of China benefiting most from agricultural infrastructure investments. To address the challenges posed by ageing, we recommend giving priority to expanding agricultural infrastructure construction, fostering agricultural socialised services, and tailoring infrastructure programs to regional resource endowments. These strategies aim to compensate for labour shortages, enhance resource utilisation, and ultimately drive improvements in agricultural green productivity.

Closed-circle bioeconomy: Applied aspects of agricultural implementationReview

Yelizaveta Chernysh, Viktoriia Chubur, Miroslav Hájek, Hynek Roubík

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2025, 71(12):680-690 | DOI: 10.17221/36/2025-AGRICECON

In the face of global challenges, innovative methods of production and consumption are vital, and the bioeconomy signifies a transformational shift based on biological processes, minimal energy use and full integration of resources into ecosystems. This study focused on a sectoral analysis of bioeconomy opportunities with a focus on bioenergy and waste management in an agriculture sustainable approach. Literature-based analysis was used to approach the research objectives of the roadmap design methods. A comprehensive sectoral analysis of the bioeconomy was conducted with a special emphasis on bioenergy and food security. A conditional roadmap of bioeconomy implementation clusters was presented, which is in line with global trends.  Agriculture, being an integral part of the bioeconomy, faces challenges due to ecosystem degradation, water scarcity, and poverty. The global trend of biotechnology adoption in agriculture offers benefits for sustainable bio-economic development, including soil conservation, cost reduction, job creation and improved food quality. Thus, the bioeconomy has significant potential to address global challenges and achieve sustainable development, which requires innovation, regional adaptation and a commitment to harmonise economic growth with environmental conservation. Further research into the involvement of the rural areas in the development of bioeconomy is required.

The effect of climate-smart agriculture on productivity and cost efficiency: Insights from smallholder wheat producers in PakistanOriginal Paper

Panhwar Ghulam Mustafa, Shangao Wang, Gershom Endelani Mwalupaso, Yi Yu, Zhou Li

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(7):334-348 | DOI: 10.17221/74/2024-AGRICECON


Unique challenges have been elicited by climate change, demanding the utilisation of effective adaptation strategies that are both environmentally and economically sustainable. Regrettably, the agricultural sector has not been spared from the effects of climate change, but it is among the largest employers and the primary source of food security globally. The situation is worse in Pakistan, where poverty, hunger, and malnutrition are reported to be prevalent. The complexity of risks posed by climate change has called for climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies, which potentially could augment cost efficiency and yield in wheat production. Surprisingly, previous studies have largely overlooked this crucial aspect. Therefore, our research seeks to address two fundamental questions: What is the comparative cost efficiency between adopters and non-adopters of CSA practices in wheat production? And what are the yield effects associated with CSA adoption, particularly compared to non-adopters? To this end, a multi-stage sampling technique was employed to randomly select 400 farm households in a climate risk hotspot province in Pakistan, on which the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and endogenous switching regression (ESR) were applied. The results revealed that CSA adoption was associated with improved cost efficiency and yield. Interestingly, if non-adopters decided to adopt CSA, they would increase their wheat yield by about 20%. Given the importance of wheat for food security, this would contribute to poverty and hunger eradication. Therefore, our study conforms to the aspirations of the 2030 agenda by promoting rethinking food production through possible improvement in cost efficiency and yield in the face of a changing climate.

Understanding the cross-cultural chicken consumers' behaviorOriginal Paper

Fallah Samuel Kassoh, Baichen Jiang, Achara Boonkong, Hui Li, Abdelrahman Ali, Tanapon Srisukwatanachai

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(2):73-90 | DOI: 10.17221/331/2023-AGRICECON


Concerns for human health and food safety are gaining momentum in emerging and developing nations as well as in food research due to the reputations that products have established over time. Understanding cross-cultural consumers’ purchasing behaviour for chicken meat (CM) could provide valuable insights into the global food sector since it is the most consumed meat worldwide. This study examines the effect of buying features (BF), culture factors, behavioural attitudes (BA), subjective norms (SN) and perceived behavioural control (BC) on CM actual purchase behaviour (APB) in China and Sierra Leone. Primary data were sourced from 588 Chinese and 410 Sierra Leonean participants. We adopt structural equation modelling (SEM) to verify the model and test the associations between the variables. The SEM results confirm that BF, BA, SN and BC stimulate customers’ intent and actual purchase of CM in both nations. The findings indicate that cultural factors (CF) significantly moderates the association between the independent constructs (BF, BA, SN and BC) and APB in Sierra Leonean markets. This study provides significant insights for chicken industry stakeholders that can help them increase CM sales along the supply chain via a marketing strategy focused on cultural and psychological factors.

Synergic strategies in reinforcing the pluralistic paradigm, inclusion and diversity as a catalyst for social sustainability focusing on agribusinessesOriginal Paper

Hana Urbancová, Pavla Vrabcová, Peter Madzík, Ale¹ Kocourek

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2025, 71(5):273-284 | DOI: 10.17221/371/2024-AGRICECON

Addressing social sustainability, gender dynamics, strengthening educational diversity and ensuring inclusive partnership structures are all key components of promoting inclusion, not only in the agricultural sector. Diversity management is a human resource trend based on respect for inclusive culture, gender and ethnic diversity, multifaceted equality or the use of virtual teams under the right working conditions, but when not applied correctly it may produce undesired effects in agribusinesses as well as in other economics sectors. This paper aims to identify effective approaches to setting working conditions used by organisations to promote inclusion, management diversity and the development of social sustainability. The data were obtained through quantitative research using the Computer Assisted Web Interviewing method (n = 202) and processed using the chi-square test at a 0.05 significance level as well as through qualitative research involving focus groups (n = 10). The study results have demonstrated that investment in diversity education remains crucial. Not only agricultural but also other businesses have begun to use metrics to monitor their diversity and inclusion progress. Organisations are beginning to use artificial intelligence (AI) to remove prejudices in recruitment, identify inequalities in remuneration and ensure inclusion in online communication.

Unveiling green perception effect: How live streaming scenes and green information influence purchase intention of prepared dishesOriginal Paper

Shuo Hao, Pei Li, Nannan Zhang, Yang Du, Rui Liang, Ziyang Liu

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2025, 71(10):537-549 | DOI: 10.17221/247/2024-AGRICECON

To promote the sustainable consumption of prepared dishes, this study examines how green attribute information (GAI) and live streaming scenes experience (LSSE) influence consumers' green perceptions (GP) – including perceived green value (PGV) and perceived green trust (PGT) – and subsequently affect their purchase intention (PI). A green perception model was developed and tested using a mixed-method approach. Word cloud analysis was conducted on consumer comments collected from e-commerce platforms to extract key descriptors and concerns, which informed the design of a structured questionnaire. A total of 291 valid responses were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results show that: (iGAI does not directly impact PI, indicating that GP is a necessary mediator; (iiGAI significantly influences PGV, but not PGT; (iiiGP fully mediates the GAIPI relationship, although PGV has a negligible direct effect on PGT; (ivLSSE significantly enhances both GP and PI; (vGP partially mediates the LSSEPI relationship. These findings highlight the dual role of LSSE in facilitating information adoption and emotional engagement, and suggest that enhancing LSSE design and enriching GAI are effective strategies to increase consumers' green perception and purchase intention towards prepared dishes.

Beef, lamb, pork and poultry meat commodity prices: Historical fluctuations and synchronisation with a focus on recent global crisesOriginal Paper

Massimiliano Calvia

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(1):24-33 | DOI: 10.17221/361/2023-AGRICECON


This work addresses short-run fluctuations of nominal global meat commodity prices, that is, beef, lamb, pork, and poultry, from January 1980 to October 2023, thus including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. It tries to answer the following questions: how do fluctuations in meat commodity prices behave historically? Are meat commodity prices synchronised? Do their co-movements show specific features during recent global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian war? Using a ‘classical’ framework of cycle analysis, the work provides a series of turning points upon which statistics on phase and cycle durations and amplitudes are generated. Care is put into highlighting the pros and cons of employing algorithms based on turning points instead of harmonic models. Global nominal meat prices feature cycles lasting between 3.8 and 4.6 years on average. Pork prices, contrary to other meat prices, are characterised by a highly volatile and prevalently contractionary behaviour. From a policy perspective, the article provides results on the synchronisation of couples of meat prices and on the existence of a common meat price cycle both historically and during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Are there trade-offs between animal welfare and egg-producing farm efficiency?Original Paper

David Hampel, Markéta Matulová, Martina Lichovníková, Jitka Janová

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(10):465-473 | DOI: 10.17221/93/2024-AGRICECON

Agribusiness is currently faced with the challenge of providing sufficient quality food for a growing population with limited natural resources. Egg production, as an important source of nutrition, is a dynamically developing sector of livestock production on a global scale. Simultaneously, the increasing public and legal considerations of animal welfare affect egg-producing operations. This paper aims to provide insight into missing evidence in the trade-offs between animal welfare and efficiency in egg-producing farms in the Czech Republic and the European Union. Detailed data were gathered on the extent of the enriched cage and indoor cage-free housing systems (aviaries/barns) among the main 30 Czech table-egg-producers. Original micro data enlarged the information on table-egg producers collected using the Orbis database. For the efficiency analysis at the EU level, data on the housing systems were obtained from Eurostat and combined with aggregated data from the Orbis database. A robust data envelopment analysis was applied which benefits from including animal-welfare variables directly into the efficiency evaluation. The results showed a negative, but statistically insignificant, relationship between the animal welfare and efficiency of the egg producers for the Czech Republic table-egg producers as well as those on the EU-country level.

Agricultural market information in developing countries: A literature reviewReview

Agus Dwi Nugroho

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2021, 67(11):468-477 | DOI: 10.17221/129/2021-AGRICECON

In most developing countries, the agricultural industry has the potential to alleviate poverty at a faster rate compared to other sectors. As such, many governments have initiated policies and programme to improve agricultural performance. However, some of these projects have not achieved success because the local agricultural markets are often controlled by a small group of stakeholders who tend to hide information in the market despite having huge market power. This paper aimed to determine the issues and impacts of the lack of market information in developing countries and to provide strategies for solving such problems. Results show that the presence of an oligopsonic market system, current information and communication technology (ICTs), the lack of market infrastructure and gender limitations are the main issues related to a lack of information. In turn, lack of information leads to an inefficient agricultural market, causes negative impacts on market participants, and ultimately leads to harmful socio-economic effects. Thus, to solve these problems, it is necessary to improve capacity building, increase access to ICTs and improve market infrastructure.

Risk in agriculture: An overview of the theoretical insights and recent development trends during last decade - A reviewReview

Lina Novickyté

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2019, 65(9):435-444 | DOI: 10.17221/11/2019-AGRICECON

The main purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed overview of the theoretical insights and recent development trends on risk in agriculture. It focuses on the synthesis and analysis of the research studies published over the period from 2008 through 2018 and aims to identify major findings obtained over the recent decade and determine the areas for future research. This paper reviews a total of 397 unique publications retrieved from the international journals accessible in the Web of Science database. Based on different criteria deployed by the scientometric analysis, the selected articles have been reviewed and classified. The bibliometric analysis includes the citation volumes, authors, names of journals, research areas, affiliations, and contributing countries. The network analysis includes the examination of keywords. This article provides an opportunity for scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers to understand and manage risk in agriculture and at the same time presents a roadmap for future research in this field.

Foreign trade and virtual land resources: A case study of China's grainCase Study

Chong Cao, Guojun Yuan

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2022, 68(7):259-270 | DOI: 10.17221/85/2022-AGRICECON

This paper selects four grain crops of rice, wheat, soybean, and corn, analyzes their foreign trade from 2002 to 2020, and estimates the virtual land resource. The research results show that China's grain has always been in the state of net import. China mainly exports rice and imports soybeans, and the market structure has an obvious trend of simplification. The net import of virtual land resources in China's grain has grown significantly and has outstanding contribution ability. The average annual net import is 62.25 million ha, which is almost equivalent to the arable land area of China's one-cropping area. The net import contribution of soybean virtual land resources is about 101 times of its sown area, while corn, rice, and wheat account for about 10.42, 11.69, and 74.66% of its sown area. The net importers of virtual land resources are relatively concentrated, mainly in Brazil, the US, Argentina, Ukraine, and Canada.


Towards diverging land prices in agricultural districts? Evidence from Italy before and after the great crisisOriginal Paper

Emma Bruno, Rosalia Castellano, Gennaro Punzo, Luca Salvati

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2023, 69(3):119-127 | DOI: 10.17221/395/2022-AGRICECON


In recent decades, farmland markets have risen sharply due to their attractiveness as safe investment and savings allocation instruments. This growth has occurred globally at different rates due to the uneven expected returns, and potential land uses in different regions. This paper provides evidence of the convergence of Italian farmland markets between 1990 and 2019 by using data on average land prices with a geographically detailed resolution that considers both administrative and altitude aspects of territories. The analysis combines traditional economic convergence approaches with spatial data exploration techniques. The results are consistent and show that territorial disparities in Italian farmland markets tend to increase over the study period. This proves that divergence patterns reflect the well-established North-South dualism and disparities in socio-economic characteristics.

Understanding the impact of Internet access on farmers’ willingness to participate in farmer professional cooperativesOriginal Paper

Xiaozeng Wang, Jiabin Chen, Xingyan Du

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(7):349-361 | DOI: 10.17221/69/2024-AGRICECON


The widespread application of Internet technology in rural development has significantly facilitated the modernisation of agriculture and profoundly and positively impacts sustainable rural development. This study empirically investigates the effect of Internet access on farmers‘ participation in farmer professional cooperatives based on a sample of 3 349 participants from the 2020 China Rural Revitalization Survey (CRRS), using both probit regression and instrumental variable probit (Ivprobit) regression models. The results indicate that, firstly, Internet access significantly enhances farmers‘ participation in farmer professional cooperatives. Secondly, Internet access influences farmers' decisions to join professional cooperatives differently, with older farmers, those with less education, and non-cadre individuals being more significantly affected in their willingness to participate. The findings deepen the understanding of the relationship between digital technology and organisational participation in rural development and provide empirical evidence for formulating more targeted rural development policies.

Unlocking sustainable competitive performance in agro-based small and medium enterprises in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countriesOriginal Paper

Shamim Akhtar, Yi Cui, Stephanie Efua Frimpong, Nosheen Rafi

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(6):309-319 | DOI: 10.17221/264/2023-AGRICECON


Agro-based small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are currently receiving top priority among policymakers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations  due to their great contribution to employment and GDP growth. This study examines the impact of financial literacy on the sustainable competitive performance of agro-based SMEs, with a focus on the mediating role of access to digital finance and the moderating role of business experience. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), we analysed data from 345 SME owner-managers. The results indicate that financial literacy positively affects sustainable competitive performance, with access to digital finance serving as a significant mediator. However, business experience does not moderate the relationship between financial literacy and access to digital finance. These findings suggest that improving financial literacy and enhancing digital finance access are critical for the sustainable development of agro-based SMEs in the SAARC region.

Recent development of economic indicators on Czech dairy farmsOriginal Paper

Jan Syrùèek, Ludìk Bartoò, Dalibor Øehák, Magdaléna ©tolcová, Jiøí Burdych

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2023, 69(2):45-54 | DOI: 10.17221/381/2022-AGRICECON


A reassessment of factors related to milk production economics is needed because of continuing genetic improvements within the main dairy breeds and changes in farm management and the economic environment. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the development of economic indicators between 2016 and 2020 on Czech dairy farms that kept either Czech Fleckvieh or Holstein breeds and that had different average milk yields. We used a questionnaire to obtain data from 66 dairy farms from different regions of the Czech Republic. The farms were divided into four groups according to breed and 2016 milk yield. Production costs increased during the period in all groups by 13% to 17% because of increasing milk yields, the associated higher feed consumption and increasing input prices. We observed a higher annual growth rate of costs per litre of milk on farms with above-average milk yields compared with the groups with below-average yields. The highest profitability before subsidies was achieved on farms with Holstein cows and above-average milk yields. Higher-income over feed costs were consistently observed in groups with higher milk yields. Because of low farm gate milk prices, profitability was significantly lower across all groups during 2016 than in other years.

Valuation of an innovative investment project using real options approach: A case study of a viticulture company in SpainCase Study

Raisa Pérez-Vas, Javier Hervés-Estévez, María Dolores Garza Gil, Raquel Fernández-González

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(2):91-100 | DOI: 10.17221/299/2023-AGRICECON


In Spain, the leader in pesticide sales in the European Union, a high-tech and innovative company provides services to the wine industry to optimise phytosanitary work, reduce crop losses and lower production costs. Although the nature of its business encourages the transition to a sustainable agri-food system, it also involves risks associated with uncertainty. The objective of this article was to perform the valuation of the company through the real options approach, including an expansion option, analysing whether this company will be able to increase the value of its project by expanding its activity to a larger number of vineyards. Results showed that the application of the real options approach projected a higher result than the traditional net present value method, so that if the company makes additional investments in its precision agriculture project, these will increase the value by a 15%.

The impact of efficiency on the profitability of large farms in the Visegrad FourCase Study

Zuzana Fuksová, David Mare¹, Milan Køápek

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(9):457-464 | DOI: 10.17221/120/2024-AGRICECON

The issue of productivity and performance in agriculture is significant because it affects a country’s competitiveness, sustainability, and self-sufficiency in agricultural production and is reflected in European policy. This study aims to determine which country had the most efficient large farms compared to other V4 countries and whether efficiency in each country translates into the performance of large farms. The data were obtained from the EU FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network) database from 2005 to 2019. These data were then evaluated using the statistical methods DEA: CCR-O (Data Envelopment Analysis: constant returns to scale), DEA: BCC-O (Data Envelopment Analysis: variable returns to scale), and Pearson correlation coefficient. Regarding international comparisons in achieving efficiency as measured by DEA, Hungary is the best performer among the countries compared, followed by Czechia, Poland, and Slovakia. The correlation between efficiency and performance measured by Farm Net Value Added was demonstrated only for Hungary. The international comparison provided information about which country had the most efficient large farms, what the ranking of countries was in terms of efficiency, and for which countries efficiency had / did not have a potential impact on performance. At the same time, the relationships regarding the efficiency and performance of farms with an economic size above EUR 500 000 of standard output were clarified.


Simulation of the impacts of the proposed direct payment scheme – The case of the Czech RepublicOriginal Paper

Jana Lososová, Radek Zdenìk

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2023, 69(1):13-24 | DOI: 10.17221/328/2022-AGRICECON


The draft Strategic plan of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the Czech Republic has provoked the displeasure of many entrepreneurs in agriculture due to the redistributive payments, to which 23% of the total volume of direct payments will be directed instead of the originally planned 10%. According to the creators of the Strategic plan, this should support the fairer distribution of payments, respecting the benefits arising from the scale of production of large companies. Critics of the plan claim that operating subsidies are already degressive and fear an adverse impact on medium-sized companies, which, given the structure of the companies in the Czech Republic, will affect a large part of agriculture. This article aims to identify the farm size for which direct payments will be reduced and the likely degree of the impact on the farm economy. Our results suggest that the new payment system will lead to a reduction in direct payments for farms larger than 313 ha and, from a farm size of 873 ha, direct payments will fall below 85% of the average, which may cover around 50% of the agricultural land in the Czech Republic.

Are technological or efficiency differences more pronounced between Hungarian and Polish poultry farms? A stochastic metafrontier analysisOriginal Paper

Lajos Baráth, Imre Fertõ, Jakub Staniszewski

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(8):406-413 | DOI: 10.17221/322/2023-AGRICECON


The efficiency of poultry production plays a crucial role in ensuring food security and maintaining human health sustainability. Although extensive research has been done on the largest poultry-producing countries, the European Union’s contribution has not been thoroughly investigated, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. This study aims to fill this gap by analysing the technical efficiency of poultry farms in Hungary and Poland. We use the stochastic metafrontier approach to Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) data from 2010 to 2015. The results suggest that both countries have technical inefficiencies. The meta technical efficiency (MTE) was higher in Poland than in Hungary, driven by both a higher technology gap ratio (TGR) and higher (country-specific) technical efficiency (TE) in Poland. In both countries, returns to scale were increasing, which suggests that policies that increase scale of operation could increase efficiency. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of technological gaps for several farms both in Poland and Hungary; therefore, policies should also focus on supporting investments in technology adoption and innovation. This could involve providing subsidies or grants for the adoption of advanced farming technologies, such as automated feeding systems or data analytics for optimizing production processes.

A constant market share analysis of the competitiveness of the Czech Republic’s agrifood exports (2002–2020) to the European UnionOriginal Paper

Ivo Zdráhal, Francois Stefanus Lategan, Melissa van der Merwe

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2023, 69(12):498-509 | DOI: 10.17221/248/2023-AGRICECON

We conducted a quantitative ex post analysis of the competitiveness of the Czech Republic’s agrifood exports to other European Union (EU) Member States between 2002 and 2020, using the constant market share (CMS) methodology. The application of this methodology to Czech agrifood exports is novel, as it allows for analysing the export competitiveness variation and its components. Although the findings are consistent with those of previous studies in which the investigators used alternative methodological approaches, we make three contributions to the existing literature. Firstly, the Czech Republic experienced an overall increase in its competitiveness in agrifood exports between 2002 and 2020. Secondly, the high territorial specialisation of Czech agrifood exports to other EU Member States, combined with a general slowdown in the growth of EU markets, has had a significant effect on the growth dynamics of the country’s agricultural exports. Thirdly, there is a problem with the specialisation profile of Czech agrifood exports in terms of commodity and territorial structure. The current composition does not allow the Czech Republic to reach its full potential for agrifood exports. These findings will help industrial, agricultural and trade policymakers to assess the nature of liberalisation and transformation of the Czech Republic’s agricultural sectors, with a view to improving or designing structures and instruments for the promotion of agrifood exports.

Will the financialisation of agricultural products exacerbate food security risks? Empirical analysis from major grain-producing countries worldwideOriginal Paper

Yujie Chen, Jiangwei Tang

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(4):178-186 | DOI: 10.17221/432/2023-AGRICECON

Based on data from 10 countries from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CBOT) wheat futures market for the period from 2000 to 2021, this study examines the impact of the financialisation of agricultural products on food security and its mechanism of action. We found that the higher the degree of financialisation of agricultural products, the stronger the negative effect on food security, which is more prominent after the financial crisis in 2008, and the effect on developing countries is more obvious than that on developed countries. The test results of the mediation effect model showed that the financialisation of agricultural products affects food security by increasing the volatility of futures prices. The test results of the moderating effect model showed that the rise of the US dollar index and loose monetary policy will exacerbate the impact of the financialisation of agricultural products on food security. Still, the increase of the self-sufficiency rate of food can effectively inhibit this impact. The study’s conclusions supported the government’s optimising macro policies and promoting food security.


Working capital management in the food and beverage industry: Evidence from listed European companiesOriginal Paper

Hakan Özkaya, ªebnem Yaºar

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2023, 69(2):78-88 | DOI: 10.17221/383/2022-AGRICECON


Optimizing current assets and their financing resources is of great importance for firms to sustain their existence with the highest level of profitability. However, empirical evidence from the food and beverage industry on the effects of working capital management (WCM) on profitability is scarce and mixed. This study aims to understand how various components of WCM affect the profitability of listed European food and beverage (F&B) companies. For this purpose, static panel data methodology was used to test the relationship between profitability and WCM measured by the cash conversion cycle and its components. The results were checked for robustness by using dynamic panel data methodology. Our results indicate a negative relationship between profitability and the cash conversion cycle. Unlike previous studies that have analysed a single country, this study provides evidence based on analyses of the largest possible sample of listed European F&B companies.


Exploring within- and between-effects of the factors influencing off-farm work decisions in SwitzerlandOriginal Paper

Dierk Schmid, Swetlana Renner, Daniel Hoop

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2023, 69(10):416-425 | DOI: 10.17221/233/2023-AGRICECON


We examine the determinants of off-farm work in Swiss agriculture between 2003 and 2013. By differentiating between the between-farm effects and the within-farm effects, our model provides new insights into the labour allocation process as compared with standard cross-sectional or panel data models. As regards the between-farm variations, our results show that younger farm families without children and farm households with higher non-agricultural education levels of both the farmer and the partner are more involved in working activities outside the farm. However, the within-farm time effects provided a more differentiated picture: impacts of changes in most variables over time tended to be smaller, and in case of two variables show opposite directions. In addition to a negative between-effect of farm income on the allocation of off-farm labour, our results on within-farm effects suggest that an increase in farm income per annual family work unit could be compatible with a higher share of off-farm work during the analysed period.

Environmental regulations or expected revenue: What plays a more important role in China’s green transition of agriculture?Original Paper

Yongwang Zhang, Minjuan Zhao

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(9):425-435 | DOI: 10.17221/142/2024-AGRICECON

Policy constraints and market incentives have made it an important foundation for developing countries such as China to develop agricultural green transition policies. This study employed the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2003 to 2022 and the three-dimensional framework of ‘institutions, technology, and marketisation’ to probe whether environmental regulation constraints or expected economic revenue incentives play a critical role in China’s current agriculture development. Whether the green transition of agriculture depends on environmental regulatory policy constraints and expected economic revenue incentives is related to the level of agricultural technology development and market development. Technology and market play a positive role in the agricultural green transition by enabling the realisation of agricultural green production and the realisation of the agricultural green market.

Trust evolution, institutional constraints, and land trusteeship decisions among Chinese farmersOriginal Paper

Qi Li, Menghui Gao

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2023, 69(12):485-497 | DOI: 10.17221/232/2023-AGRICECON


Land trusteeship involves farmers entrusting the farming and managing of their land to trustees, who manage the land on their behalf in exchange for a commission fee. Land trusteeship has been an important approach to bridging the gap between smallholder farmers and modern agriculture in China. Because of the information asymmetry in land trusteeship, farmers have higher uncertainty and perceived risk, so social trust and institutional constraints are particularly important in promoting farmers’ participation in trusteeship. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of trust evolution and institutional constraints on smallholder farmers’ decision-making in green prevention and pest control trusteeship. Our research was conducted in Shandong, China, utilising factor analysis and binary regression. The results revealed that trusteeship decision-making combines trust governance and institutional governance, with significant roles played by institutional trust, institutional supervision, institutional regulation, and interpersonal trust. As part-time farming became more prevalent, the importance of institutional trust and institutional supervision increased, indicating a shift in trusteeship governance from social relations to institutional contracts and the maturation of land trusteeship models. In addition, we also tested the interaction effect of social trust and institutional constraints and the heterogeneity effect of different trusteeship contracts. To improve the land trust system, we must enhance farmers’ institutional trust and leverage the active role of intermediary supervision organisations such as village collectives.

Palm oil trade restrictiveness index and its impact on world palm oil exportsOriginal Paper

Hakimah Nur Ahmad Hamidi, Norlin Khalid, Zulkefly Abdul Karim

Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2024, 70(3):101-111 | DOI: 10.17221/332/2023-AGRICECON

Despite numerous attempts to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers, the average number of barriers in the agricultural sector, particularly in the palm oil sector, is rising. Non-tariff effects are subjective, which makes them challenging to quantify. A new palm oil trade restrictiveness index that considers each trade barrier imposed on palm oil exports, such as tariff and non-tariff measures, is necessary to facilitate the sector’s exports. Hence, this study aims to calculate the trade restrictiveness index (TRI) of palm oil and analyse its impact on Malaysia’s and Indonesia’s palm oil exports. This study uses a gravity model with Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood (PPML) estimation to analyse the impact of trade barriers on world palm oil export for a sample of 59 major palm oil importing countries from 2009 to 2019. The study revealed that each importing country imposes different restrictions on Malaysia and Indonesia. The TRI showed a negative and significant relationship influencing palm oil exports in the case of Malaysia, while a positive and significant relationship for Indonesia. The policy implications of this study suggest that policymakers in both Malaysia and Indonesia should take proactive steps to comply with every criterion demanded by the importing country.

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