Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michal MALÝ Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Partial equilibrium model - beef Abstract: The main goal of the presented paper is to propose, specify and quantify a model of partial equilibrium in the beef meat vertical in the Czech Republic. Characterized within the analyzed relations in the commodity vertical will be the demand-offer relationships on partial levels of the commodity chain on the basis of which the functional relations of the simultaneous model of the above-mentioned market will subsequently be specified. The quantified model enables the definition and description of the main determinants of the beef offer and demand. The data used was acquired from the Situation and Forecast Reports (MA CZ), from the Annual Reports on the State of Agriculture (UZEI) and from the Family Accounts Statistics (CSU), for the period from 1995-2010. With regard to respecting the simultaneous relations, the model estimate was carried out by the means of the two-level method of least squares with the subsequent statistic-econometrical verification. The acquired model shows a sufficient robustness for market analyses and the possible simulation calculations. Keywords: beef, consumer, farmer, partial equilibrium model, price, producer Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 247-261 Volume: 59 Issue: 6 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/221/2011-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/221/2011-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201306-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:59:y:2013:i:6:id:221-2011-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Veronika ANTOŠOVÁ Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Marketing and Trade, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Naďa BIRČIAKOVÁ Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Marketing and Trade, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jana STÁVKOVÁ Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Marketing and Trade, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Income aspects of Czech farmers' living conditions Abstract: The paper analyses the income and living conditions of farm households in the Czech Republic. The period under review ware the years of 2005-2010 since more recent data was not available when this paper was being prepared. The primary source of data is the results of the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU SILC) survey. The structure of farm households is established by the household type, education, and economic activity. Households have been assigned to particular groups based on the situation of the household leader. The primary indicator is the average disposable income per 1 equivalent member. Other indicators under review include poverty, poverty depth, and material deprivation. The national poverty line has been defined as 60% of the median average equivalent income. Another important aspect also includes the households' subjective views of the selected matters. Keywords: EU SILC, farm household income, material deprivation, poverty Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 262-270 Volume: 59 Issue: 6 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/133/2012-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/133/2012-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201306-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:59:y:2013:i:6:id:133-2012-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Justina Adwoa ONUMAH Author-Workplace-Name: Science and Technology Policy Research Institute, Cantonments - Accra, Ghana Author-Name: Edward Ebo ONUMAH Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, Legon - Accra, Ghana Author-Name: Ramatu Mahama AL-HASSAN Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, Legon - Accra, Ghana Author-Name: Bernhard BRÜMMER Author-Workplace-Name: Departmentof Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany Title: Meta-frontier analysis of organic and conventional cocoa production in Ghana Abstract: This study considers the meta-frontier technique to compare the efficiency level of organic and conventional cocoa production systems in Ghana using a cross sectional data of 390 farms. The results reveal that the organic systems exhibit an increasing return to scale whilst, the conventional system exhibit decreasing returns to scale. All the inputs variables positively influence the production except the age of trees. The combined effects of operational and farm specific factors are identified to influence the technical efficiency although the individual effects of some variables are not significant. The mean technical efficiency relative to the meta-frontier is estimated to be 0.59 for the organic and 0.71 for the conventional farms. The study concludes that the conventional system of cocoa production is more technically efficient than the organic system. However, the increase in the scale of production in the organic system to take advantage of the economies of scale may enhance the efficiency of production. Keywords: returns to scale, stochastic frontier, technical efficiency, technology gap ratio Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 271-280 Volume: 59 Issue: 6 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/128/2012-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/128/2012-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201306-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:59:y:2013:i:6:id:128-2012-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Soumitra CHATTERJEE Author-Workplace-Name: Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, India Author-Name: Saurav GUPTA Author-Workplace-Name: Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, India Title: Extent of technological change in rice cultivation over four decades in West Bengal, India Abstract: Rice is a principal food crop which occupies nearly a one-fourth of the gross irrigated area in India. However, the present study attempts to judge the essence of the Green Revolution in rice cultivation and its actual reflection regarding the factor contribution over four decades in West Bengal, India. The study measures the extent of technological change in rice cultivation using the Divisia-Tornqvist Theil index model for computing the total factor productivity (TFP) of rice for the state of West Bengal. Subsequently, the spatial change in the TFP as well as a comparative study on productivity, input use, break-up of cost components and economic return in the paddy cultivation over different size classes across all agro-climatic zones of West Bengal has been made in order to identify the most promising zone regarding technological advancement in rice cultivation. The study reveals that technological change in rice cultivation has occurred in the state of West Bengal for the entire four decades while its extent has not been equally disseminated in decades. The effect of the productivity change was robust in the 2nd decade (1981-1982 to 1991-1992) with a 4.19% TFP growth rate indicating that the good effect of the Green Revolution has began to start regarding the technological change in rice cultivation over West Bengal. On the other hand, the TFPrice results in the state have given a dismal picture in the later phases under study where it starts declining with the change of time. At the end decade (2001-2002 to 2009-2010), the TFP growth has been found to be negative (-0.69) reflecting ill effects of a higher use of inorganic fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides to corrupt the soil fertility status of the state. It is the quality HYV seed that dominates among all factor contributors for the overall TFPrice change along with the human labour use. Farm mechanization enters after the 90s indicating a major reform in the context of the technology adoption by the rice growers in the state. The region-wise scenario of rice cultivation in the state has proved that the Gangetic Alluvial tract has been the better technology adopter with higher TFP indices as compared to the problematic regions like the Red Lateratic zone and the Coastal Saline belt, the reason of which might be the improved fertility status of soil with a large number of progressive paddy growers operating in terms of a better knowledge gaining, a better education and extension. Keywords: factor contributor, green revolution, HYV seed, spatial change, technological change, Total Factor Productivity (TFP) Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 281-291 Volume: 59 Issue: 6 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/147/2012-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/147/2012-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201306-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:59:y:2013:i:6:id:147-2012-AGRICECON