Agricultural input market reforms

The objective of this paper is to derive lessons from selected literature concerning the impact and the conditions of successful agricultural input market reform. The agricultural inputs of interest in this review are: fertilizers, seeds, agricultural equipment, pesticides, and livestock services and health inputs. The paper examines the rationale for market reform, its impact on growth, productivity, and income of farmers, and the conditions for success. Six main conclusions emerge from this review. First, market structures are the result of evolutionary processes that accompany the adoption and the diffusion of modern technology in agriculture. Second, the development of markets and private sector cannot occur unless an adequate infrastructure is in place. Third, markets cannot work unless a favorable institutional environment is created. Fourth, the success of reforms is heavily influenced by the sequencing of various policy measures. Fifth, the participation of the private sector is dependent on the credibility of government policies in support of market reforms. Finally, the scanty evidence on the impact of market reforms on small farmers suggests that these groups are often penalized.Markets Economic policy ,

Central Crops and Soils Research Station Highmore, South Dakota: Annual Progress Report, 2000

This document highlights 14 crop and soils research projects conducted at the Central Crops and Soils Research Station at Highmore in 2000. It is published by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and the Plant Science Department at South Dakota State University. Information in this document includes: weather and climate data, field evaluation of woody plant materials, Switchgrass Biofuels project report, weed control evaluation test, fertilizer and soil test effects on wheat yields, small grain performance tests, alfalfa production, influence of planting dates on winter wheat, oat research, and sunflower hybrid performance trials

Central Crops and Soils Research Station Highmore, South Dakota: Annual Progress Report, 2001

This report of the Central Crops and Soils Research Station at Highmore, South Dakota is a progress report and, therefore, the results presented are not necessarily complete nor conclusive. The data presented in this report reflect the 2001 growing season. The document includes reports on: temperature and precipitation, field evaluations on woody plant materials, assessment of herbicides for switchgrass establishment in the Northern Great Plains, alfalfa and grass breeding, weed control, suppressing alternaria blight of safflower with foliar fungicides, fertilizer and soil test effects on soybean yield, small grain variety performance trials, alfalfa production influence of planting date on winter wheat, and oat research

The sequencing of agricultural market reforms in Malawi

The paper analyzes the welfare impacts of alternative sequencing scenarios of agricultural market reforms in Malawi using a profit maximization approach. The simulation results show that, contrary to the sequencing path adopted in the 1980's, Malawi's Government should have liberalized the maize sector first, followed by the groundnut export sector, and once a supply response was generated, input subsidies could have been phased out, without generating a negative impact on producers' welfare and food security.Agricultural economics. ,Food security Malawi. ,

Oregon Vineyard and Winery Quick Facts 1992-2002

This statewide report on vineyards and wineries in Oregon includes a variety of statistics for the years 1992-2002. Statistics include average dollars per ton by variety, planted acreage by variety, wineries crushing grapes by county, crush by variety, and sales by variety

Sustainable Agricultural Bioindustry Development: Integration of Cassava Cultivation with Beef Cattle Husbandry in North Sulawesi Province

This paper reviews the potential sustainable agricultural bioindustry development based on animal feed and organic fertilizer through an integration between crops cultivation with livestock production. This bio-industrial development could be carried out successfully in Indonesia, including in the region of North Sulawesi Province. Cattle feed bioindustry could be developed from biomass of cassava plantation, such as the cassava leaves, tubers and cassava peelers. Whereas, the solid and liquid organic fertilizers bioindustry could be developed from cattle feces and urine. Agricultural bioindustry can be carried out in all areas of North Sulawesi Province, because almost in every district has beef cattle and cassava plants. The largest cassava production in North Sulawesi Province are in the regencies of Bolaang Mongondow, Sangihe Island and Talaud Island. Whereas the highest population of beef cattle are in the regencies of Bolaang Mongondow, North Bolaang Mongondow, Minahasa, North Minahasa and South Minahasa. Therefore, this type of bioindustry will be well implemented in the three regencies of Bolaang Mongondow, Minahasa and North Minahasa, as there are large cassava plants and with a high livestock population in these three areas. Although numbers of beef cattle population are also higher in some other regencies, but the production of cassava in those areas are still very small

Central Crops and Soils Research Station Highmore, South Dakota: Annual Progress Report, 1999

This document highlights 15 crop and soils research and demonstration projects conducted at the SDSU Central Crops and Soils Research Station at Highmore in 1999. It is published by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and the Plant Science Department. Reports in this document include information on: 100 years of research at Highmore Research Station, temperature and precipitation data, winter wheat breeding, cereal aphid control in winter wheat, oat research, crop performance results, soybean yields, weed control research

Central Crops and Soils Research Station Highmore, South Dakota: Annual Progress Report, 2003

This report of the Central Crops and Soils Research Station at Highmore, South Dakota reflects the 2003 growing season. This document includes data on: temperatures and precipitation, field evaluation of woody plant materials, alfalfa production, winter wheat, oat research, spring wheat breeding, resistance of sunflower germplasm to the red sunflower seed weevil, flax variety test, weed control, fertilizer and soil test on soybeans, aphid infestations, small grain variety test, and corn breeding