Budget Amount *help |
¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000)
Fiscal Year 1999: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000)
Fiscal Year 1998: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000)
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Research Abstract |
In this study, determinants of the efficiency in agricultural production have been examined. Policy implications were derived based upon the findings from statistical analyses of the data from Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia. The followings are what I have achieved through this research project. First, I surveyed the existing literature on the topics of agricultural development in transition economies. The fact that the difference in the extent of the liberalization of agricultural markets and privatization of production, marketing and processing organizations has produced a wide range of the diversity in the performance of agriculture was confirmed through this review Second, a set of cross-sectional data was obtained from Hungary and Uzbekistan, respectively. A database was created in order to perform statistical analyses. Third, determinants of the difference in the performance of private farms were identified using regression analyses. Private farms were confirmed to be price responsive in these two economies. Non-economic variables such as education were found to be the important factors in explaining the difference in economic activities in agricultural production, Distortions in input and output markets were found to be a blame for non-profit maximizing behavior of agricultural producers in transition economies. Fourth, policy implicaations were derived from these analyses. The policy need for lowering market distortions was identified. Fifth, research papers were written and presented at the 1999 Agricultural Economics Association of Japan's meeting, the 12th Congress of the International Farm Management Association and the 1999 European Agricultural Economics Associatioris meetings.
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