Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Maria CRESCIMANNO Author-Workplace-Name: Department Agricultural and Forest Science, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Author-Name: Antonino GALATI Author-Workplace-Name: Department Agricultural and Forest Science, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Author-Name: Tufan BAL Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey Title: The role of the economic crisis on the competitiveness of the agri-food sector in the main Mediterranean countries Abstract: The world economic crisis that, since 2008 has also struck the real economy, cannot be attributed only to the United States bubble which in 2007 involved the mortgage credit market, but it is the result of a series of factors among which the imbalance of the financial market, of the public accounts of the main economies and the real sector. Also agriculture, which has always been considered an anti-cyclic sector, has seen a strong slowdown with a plunge in the trade flows. This paper analyses the changes which happened to the competitive position in the world market of some Mediterranean countries and of France, Italy, Spain and Turkey in particular trying, moreover, to understand the vulnerability of the countries belonging to the EU concerning their integration into an economic and monetary union. The results show how much the crisis has involved all the countries bringing, on the whole, a reduction of the competitive potential in the international market which has been less strong in Turkey, the country characterized by a low per capita income and a low public debt. It can be seen, in particular, how the sectors with a strongest commercial specialization have showed a better resistance to the pressure of the recessive trend. Keywords: agri-food trade, financial crises, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 49-64 Volume: 60 Issue: 2 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/59/2013-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/59/2013-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201402-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:60:y:2014:i:2:id:59-2013-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Vladimír JENÍČEK Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of International Relations, University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Šárka GRÓFOVÁ Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of International Relations, University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Least developed countries - characteristics Abstract: Despite some progresses in the political situation, the effects of the economic crisis and widespread food insecurity are expected to persist. Humanitarian assistance is now needed to support the needs of the most vulnerable. In the longer term, countries have the significant goal of consolidating peace and security and strengthening the overall governance, while at the same time, reconstructing and rehabilitating their economy. Keywords: agriculture, conflict, economic growth, food security, poverty Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 65-73 Volume: 60 Issue: 2 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/67/2013-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/67/2013-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201402-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:60:y:2014:i:2:id:67-2013-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kwadjo AHODO Author-Workplace-Name: School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University, United Kingdom Author-Name: Tereza SVATONOVA Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Engineering, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic Title: The use of economic instruments in environmental policies to mitigate diffuse pollution from agriculture Abstract: The study focuses on the environmental problem of diffuse pollution from agriculture (DPA) as a result of the land use and the policy intervention that can be used to mitigate the problem. Attention is paid to the use of economic instruments (EIs) in policies concerning the DPA. Also, policy options, the advantages and disadvantages of the EIs and their assessment are looked at. Keywords: economic optimum, environmental problem, farmers education, fertilizer use, land use policy, pesticide use Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 74-81 Volume: 60 Issue: 2 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/43/2013-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/43/2013-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201402-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:60:y:2014:i:2:id:43-2013-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Monika MICHALIČKOVÁ Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Husbandry Systems, Breeding and Product Quality, National Agricultural and Food Centre - Research Institute for Animal Production (RIAP) Nitra, Lužianky, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Zuzana KRUPOVÁ Author-Workplace-Name: Genetics and Breeding of Farm Animals, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Peter POLÁK Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Husbandry Systems, Breeding and Product Quality, National Agricultural and Food Centre - Research Institute for Animal Production (RIAP) Nitra, Lužianky, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Ladislav HETÉNYI Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Husbandry Systems, Breeding and Product Quality, National Agricultural and Food Centre - Research Institute for Animal Production (RIAP) Nitra, Lužianky, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Emil KRUPA Author-Workplace-Name: Genetics and Breeding of Farm Animals, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Development of competitiveness and its determinants in Slovak dairy farms Abstract: The competitiveness and its determinants for Slovak dairy cattle farms during the years 2007 to 2011 was analysed. The economic database of the Research Institute for Animal Production Nitra was used as the basis. The profit in milk production with including the direct subsidies was assumed as the main parameter of the dairy farm competitiveness. The influence of the individual cost items and milk yield on the competitiveness was quantified using the multivariable linear regression model. Our results indicate that the farms were competitive in milk production only in 2007 and 2008. The highest profit (0.026 € per 1 kg of milk) was reached in 2007. It was mainly determined by the level of the milk price (+9%) and unit costs (-10%) in the evaluated period. The negative regression to the competitiveness was observed for the feed costs, labour costs, repairs and services, depreciations, other direct costs and overheads. On the other hand, the statistically positive impact of the milk yield was found. Generally, the effective utilization of the production potential of animals should be recommended as the main factor of the unit costs reduction as well as for the improvement of the dairy cattle farms profit. Keywords: costs, dairy cattle, milk production, profit/loss Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 82-88 Volume: 60 Issue: 2 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/76/2013-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/76/2013-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201402-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:60:y:2014:i:2:id:76-2013-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pavel SYROVÁTKA Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Helena CHLÁDKOVÁ Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Pavel ŽUFAN Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic Title: Wine consumption in the Czech Republic and the prices of alcohol Abstract: Consumption of wine in the Czech Republic has a growing tendency, representing 15.4 litres per capita in 1995 and 20.0 litres per capita in 2012. The goal of this paper is an analysis of the development of consumer demand for wine in the Czech Republic based on the estimation of elasticity coefficients derived from the constructed dynamic model. The overall development in the period 1948-2012 is demonstrated through the linear trend: QCWT = -340.77 + 0.1788×T + uT. The growing consumption of wine was examined in relation to the development of the prices of wine, beer, and rum in the period 1991-2012. The achieved negative values of the own price elasticity coefficients (ranging from -0.2957 to -0.1624) suggest, that there worked normal price reactions. Cross price elasticity coefficients of the gross demand for wine showed complementarity between the consumption of wine and beer or wine and rum. The cross price elasticity of the gross demand for wine related to the price of 10° beer was -0.2757 in average, and -0.2074 in the case of rum. Keywords: consumption trends, dynamic model of demand, own price elasticity of demand, cross elasticity of demand Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 89-98 Volume: 60 Issue: 2 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/114/2013-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/114/2013-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201402-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:60:y:2014:i:2:id:114-2013-AGRICECON