Input
Demand, Factor Shares and Price-cost Relation: The Case
of Paddy in Andhra Pradesh
-- P Prudhvikar Reddy and S Galab
This
study compares the input demand, factor shares and price-cost
relation of the cost of cultivation of south coastal Andhra
Pradesh (zone-2) with a well endowed zone in canal irrigation
and Rayalaseema (zone-3) with a dry zone depending upon
lift irrigation. This study uses the cost of cultivation
data from 1981-82 to 1999-2000 collected under the comprehensive
scheme on cost of cultivation of principal crops spread
over five agro-climatic zones of Andhra Pradesh. This
paper reveals that the comparison of short-run and long-run
elasticities of human labor and fertilizers indicate contrasting
scenarios, i.e., a rise in wage reduces the labor use
per hectare relatively more in wet land zones, while a
rise in the price of fertilizers reduces their use relatively
more in dry land zones. Further, this study proves that
there has been a more continuous increase in the use of
modern inputs than traditional inputs across all the zones
and at the state level. The authors conclude that the
spread of yield-increasing technology with better output
prices played a significant role in bringing other zones
on par with zone-2, at least after the late 1980s, reducing
the inter-regional variations.
© 2005 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Production
and Per Capita Availability of Food Grains in India -
An Analysis
-- L Krishna
Veni and G Alivelu
This
study examines the composition of food grains production
in India during 1950-51 to 2002-03, both at aggregate
and disaggregate level and demonstrates that cereals,
including rice, wheat and coarse cereals have indicated
the growth rate of 48.93 during 1950-51 to 2002-03. Among
cereals, the production of rice recorded major growth
when compared to wheat and coarse cereals. This paper
discloses that the production of pulses has indicated
a dissatisfactory picture with frequent fluctuations.
State-wise analysis of food grains in India recorded some
interesting results during the period under consideration.
Among 28 States, Andhra Pradesh maintained supremacy in
the production of rice. Uttar Pradesh remained on the
top in the production of wheat and pulses. In the production
of coarse cereals, Maharashtra occupied the top place.
The per capita availability of cereals per day has been
maintaining the required levels. But the per capita availability
of pulses per day has been lower than the average daily
requirement of 67.95 grams per head during the study period.
However, the study indicates a warning signal of scarcity
in the production of pulses. It also demonstrates that
net availability of cereals is not adequate to meet the
growing needs of the growing population. Hence, the importation
of food has become inevitable in India. The authors suggest
certain measures to solve the imbalances in the production
of food grains and to improve the per capita availability
of food in the country.
©2005
IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Structural
Characteristics of Agriculture of the Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes Population in Anantapur District
-- K Dasaratharamaiah,
Y V Ramanaiah and M Rupa Rani
The
backwardness of the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe
population is primarily attributed to their long isolation
from the use of natural resources, their exploitation
as well as material development. Agriculture is the main
source of livelihood for these people. Several special
programs have been initiated and implemented for the development
of agriculture in the case of scheduled castes and scheduled
tribes. In this context, the present paper is an attempt
to examine the structural characteristics of the agriculture
of scheduled castes and tribes and to bring out the relationship
between socioeconomic and agro-geographic factors with
the help of Common Factor Analysis.
© 2005 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Growth
and Elasticity of Employment in the Indian Agricultural
Sector: An Empirical Exercise
--M Upender and M Aruna
The
present empirical exercise tries to look at the growth
rate of employment and the responsiveness of employment
in agriculture and allied activities to the changes in
total employment in the organized sector during pre- and
post-economic reform periods, by estimating a demand function
for employment with an interaction variable. The results
of the exercise based on the time series data points from
the 1970 to 2002 period, which illustrate that the differential
growth rate of employment in agriculture and allied activities
is negative, both in private and public organized sectors.
The results also show that differential elasticity of
employment in agriculture and allied activities in the
public sector is positive but insignificant, showing the
absence of shift in the magnitude of employment elasticity
during the post-economic reform period. The differential
elasticity of employment in agriculture and allied activities
in the private sector and total organized sector is significantly
negative during the post-reform period, showing the fact
that reforms have deteriorated the employment opportunities
in agriculture and allied activities in the Indian economy.
© 2005 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Suitable
Microenterprise and Appropriate Training: A Vehicle for
Economic Empowerment of Rural Women
-- Trilochan
Tripathy and Bedabati Mohanty
This
paper attempts to probe into the fact that with the promotion
of suitable microenterprise and appropriate training,
women microentrepreneurs can be empowered. It is observed
in the course of this study that microenterprises are
highly location-specific. Nonetheless, the role of training
is important in economically empowering rural women microentrepreneurs,
as a result of which they enjoy greater efficiency in
promoting and managing the enterprise, and thereby, enhance
their income. Thus, selecting the right type of microenterprise
and imparting necessary training to the rural women to
start such enterprises will enable rural women to become
economically and socially independent. Based on the findings,
a range of strategic interventions such as cheap credit
facilities, information about microenterprises suitable
for that specific area, appropriate training for production
and management and marketing links have to be provided
to the women in the rural setup so as to empower them.
©
2005 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Comparing
the Optimal Depletion Time for a Non-renewable Resource
Under Malthusian Flow Scarcity Conditions and Malthusian
Stock Scarcity Conditions
-- Philip Lawn
In
conventional terms, the optimal price, extraction quantity,
and depletion time of a non-renewable resource is based
on the Hotelling (1931) Rulealso referred as Malthusian
Flow Scarcity conditions. Since any measure of resource
scarcity should account for the need to sustain income-generating
capital, an additional "user cost" overlooked
under Malthusian Flow Scarcity conditions ought to be
incorporated into the price of a non-renewable resource.
The incorporation of the user cost not only leads to the
eventual establishment of a replacement capital asset,
but also slows the rate of non-renewable resource depletion.
Hence, compared to Malthusian Flow Scarcity conditions,
non-renewable resource depletion under so-called Malthusian
Stock Scarcity conditions prolongs the life of the resource.
©
2005 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
