Import Demand for Disaggregated Fresh Fruits in Japan

Using annual Japanese fresh fruit import data from 1971-1997, this study analyzes the import patterns of Japan's seven most popular fresh fruits by implementing and testing a general differential demand system that nests four alternative import demand specifications. When tested against the general system using the five-good case (bananas, grapefruits, oranges, and lemons and aggregating pineapples, berries, and grapes), the analysis rejects the AIDS and NBR specifications, but does not reject Rotterdam and CBS. When estimated using the six-good case (bananas, grapefruits, oranges, lemons, pineapples, and aggregating berries and grapes), the analysis rejects all specifications except the Rotterdam model.Almost Ideal Demand System, consumer demand, fruit, import demand, Japan, Rotterdam model, Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade,

IMPORT DEMAND FOR DISAGGREGATED FRESH FRUITS IN JAPAN

Using annual Japanese fresh fruit import data from 1971 to 1997, this study analyzes the import patterns of Japan's seven most popular fresh fruits by implementing and testing a general differential dmand system that nests four alternative import demand specifications. When tested against the general system using the five-good case (bananas, grapefutis, oranges, and lemons and aggregating pineapples, berries, and grapes), the analysis rejects the Almost Ideal Demand System and National Bureau of Research specifications but does not reject Rotterdam and Central Bureau of Statistics models. When estimated using the six-good case (bananas, grapefuits, oranges, lemons, and pineapples and aggregating berries and grapes), the analysis rejects all specifications except the Rotterdam model.Almost Ideal Demand System, consumer demand, fruit, import demand, Japan, Rotterdam, Demand and Price Analysis, C3, F1, Q0,

An empirical investigation of the demand for bananas in Germany

We use econometric methods to investigate consumer demand for bananas and for other fruit in Germany. Monthly household survey data for the period 1986-1998 are analysed. Demand for bananas is significantly responsive to own price, suggesting that policy-induced price increases generate the usual dead-weight losses. Demand is also responsive to income changes, indicating that there is scope for further market expansion as incomes grow. There is evidence that other categories of fruit are both gross and net substitutes for bananas.bananas, fruit, dynamic demand system, Germany, Demand and Price Analysis,

Automatic Parallelisation of Web Applications

Small web applications have a tendency to get bigger. Yet despite the current popularity of web applications, little has been done to help programmers to leverage the performance and scalability benefits that can result from the introduction of parallelism into a program. Accordingly, we present a technique for the automatic parallelisation of whole web applications, including persistent data storage mechanisms. We detail our prototype implementation of this technique, Ceth and finally, we establish the soundness of the process by which we extract coarse-grained parallelism from programs

Organic produce from the Republic of South Africa. Exploring the conditions for enhancing trade in organic vegetables, fruit and wine

Conditions for enhancing the trade in organic products between the Netherlands and the Republic of South Africa were assessed by means of a SWOT analysis, based on information acquired through interviews and desk research. There is a large potential to enhance the trade in organic products between the two countries, although the following issues need to be addressed: the finalisation of the RSA legislation on organic production (which will enable large enough volumes to be produced and traded), skills development and the presence of an effective platform for organic production in the RS

Marketing-Management Impacts on Produce Sales

Produce departments are important to the profitability and competitiveness of grocery stores. Understanding how variables beyond price and seasonality impact the demand and ultimately sales for produce is vital. This study finds display size and the use of multiple displays to be the most powerful tools (after price) that produce managers have available to them, but only with the right products. Also, point-of-purchase signage is found to have limited impact. These findings are based on the estimation of a demand system of fruits with prices, advertising size and location, display size (including multiple displays), and product origin among the explanatory variables.Agribusiness, Marketing,

"WINNERS", "LOSERS" AND "TURNAROUNDS" IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN AGRO-FOOD AND FIBRE INDUSTRY

South African agribusinesses are now part of the global trading environment and must compete, despite the presence of highly "unequal economic playing fields". Competing under these conditions is hard, with South African agribusinesses involved in an exhausting race of "catch-up" with competitors. However, given a global regulatory environment that entrenches the notions of international competition (on both a regional and global level), to "catch-up" and compete is exactly what agribusiness has to do. An analysis of the agro-food and fibre complex reveals a remarkable achievement, namely that, despite difficult local conditions, the agricultural industry succeeded in operating more competitively for the last eight years. On the primarily level the sugar, groundnuts, oranges, apples, grapes and wool industries establish themselves as "winners" in the global trading environment. On the value added level the maize flour, apple juice, grape juice and raisins industries have distinguished themselves as "winners". Agribusiness in these industries clearly started to focus on the "right stuff". Unfortunately, some "losers" also emerged, while some industries created positive "turnaround" situations.Agribusiness,

TECHNOLOGY, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPACT ON THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN AGRO-FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS

Industrial Organization, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,