The
Implication of Market Access and Production Levels for
Coffee Profitability by Smallholder Farmers in Post-Liberalized
Marketing, Tanzania
--Agnes Godfrey
Mwakaje
This
study tests the hypothesis whether there was significant
difference in the input use, costs and coffee profitability
by farmers of varied socioeconomic background as described
by the level of production and accessibility to District
Headquarters (DHQ). The study was conducted in Rungwe
District, Southwest Tanzania. One hundred and forty smallholder
coffee farmers were randomly selected for interview. Consultations
were also made with the coffee buyers, district authority
and the Ministry of Agriculture focusing mainly on the
policy and intervention strategies. Findings show a significant
low input use by all sample farmers after market liberalization
but still profitable by all farmer categories. Nevertheless,
large producers and farmers in easily accessible areas
to the DHQ had significantly higher input use, low input
cost, high producer prices and profits compared to low
producers and the farmers in remote areas. It is concluded
that improving accessibility to input and output markets,
enhancing production levels and facilitating farmers'
organizations for marketing may reduce the marketing costs
and enhance coffee profitability by smallholder farmers.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
A
Study on the Direction of Trade in the Indian Turmeric
Exports: Markov Chain Approach
--D Murugananthi, S Selvam, N Raveendaran and S T Meena
India
is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of turmeric.
Globally, Indian turmeric is considered to be the best
because of its high curcumin content. Turmeric ranks third
in the total exports of spices from India. The major importing
countries of Indian turmeric are the United Arab Emirates,
Bangladesh, United States of America, Sri Lanka, Japan,
United Kingdom, Iran, and South Africa. Even though India
plays a major role in turmeric export, its export quantity
and value varied over the years. In order to retain India's
leadership, there is a need to study the export performance
due to the increasing domestic demand and a threat from
the competing countries. Hence, the present study is undertaken
with a view to analyze the export performance of turmeric
from India. The export performance is measured in terms
of growth rate, instability index and Markov chain analysis.
The data on export quantity and export value from 1996-2006
was taken for the purpose of this study. Both exported
quantity and value recorded a positive and significant
growth of 6.2 and 9.61% per annum respectively. There
was high instability in export value when compared to
the export quantity, which might be due to the export
unit value fluctuation. The results of Markov chain analysis
confirmed that UAE and Bangladesh remained as the stable
markets for Indian turmeric compared to other markets.
The study suggests that appropriate positioning and pricing
strategies should be used to strengthen India's position
in the unstable global market.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Potential
and Prospects of Sericulture Activities in UP
--Sanjeev
Kapoor, Alok Asthana and Abhishek Shukla
This
study projects sericulture as having the potential for
increasing the income. In order to assess the performance
of the sericulture industry, a quick survey was conducted
in the two districts of Bahraich and Shravasti in the
state of Uttar Pradesh. This paper measures the performance
of sericulture industry in order to develop proper strategies
for its expansion on a large scale. Farmers do not take
proper care of the plantation and they simultaneously
face scarcity of functional equipment, rearing-house facilities
and weak extension support. The authors mainly analyze
the economic and technical constraints facing the rural
producers involved in the sericulture activities, which
ought to be relaxed to achieve full potential contribution
in the livelihood of rural households. The results of
this study further proved that additional income can be
obtained from sericulture by providing technical training
and proper follow-up.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
The
Sensitivity of Agricultural Trade in the Proposed FTA
Between Australia and Japan: A Quantitative Assessment
--Mahinda Siriwardana
The
Australia-Japan Free Trade Agreement (AUJA-FTA) is already
in the process of negotiation by the two governments.
The success of this FTA will depend on the manner in which
it deals with the problem of agricultural trade between
the two countries. This paper analyzes the economic effects
of the proposed FTA between Australia and Japan on both
economies and on their trading partners. The Global Trade
Analysis Project (GTAP) model and its version 6 database
is used to simulate the effects of AUJA-FTA. The paper
offers some preliminary evidence concerning the welfare
impact of the FTA with special reference to the sensitivity
of the decision to include agricultural trade into the
proposed FTA. The responses of various production sectors
to the FTA show the structural changes that may take place
in the two economies. The results reveal that the inclusion
of agricultural trade into the FTA is essential for Japan
to maximize its gains. The benefits from the FTA will
outweigh the costs.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Rice Marketing in Cambodia: The Role of Growers
--Meas
Wat Ho
The
strong emergence of competition in the marketing system
of rice has a largely positive impact on the role of rice
growers in Cambodia. It not only brings a close link between
the growers and other entrepreneurs and a strong connection
between the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, but
also demonstrates the various roles that growers can play
in the marketing system in order to modernize their agricultural
practice. It also gives them an opportunity to build a
strong competitive advantage and enables them to standardize
the quality of paddy. The contribution of growers to the
marketing system and vice versa has a potential to bring
sustainable development to the rural economy by giving
mutual benefit within the system.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Institutional
Financing and Determinants of Agricultural Overdue
--
Vijay Kumar Sharma
The
study analyzes institutional financing for the agriculture
sector and identifies those factors that are responsible
for the overdue among the farmers of Himachal Pradesh.
The objective is to examine the factors affecting the
overdue among the farmers in the state. The results reveal
that in case of marginal farmers, out of the seven selected
variables, only four variables—amount borrowed, loaning
agency, period of loan and repaying capacity—had
a significant relationship with the amount of overdue.
In case of small farmers—amount borrowed, loaning
agency, period of loan, dependency ratio, repaying capacity
and unproductive use of loan affected the overdue. The
findings can be successfully applied for the improvement
of recovery climate and minimizing the quantum of overdue.
The results recommended a more careful scrutiny of the
loan applications by the loaning agencies, appropriate
policy to monitor credit utilization, conduct of 'Recovery
Melas' and prompt efforts for the early recovery of the
loan.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
