Eliciting and valuing market preferences with traditional food crops: the case of chickpea in India

During the past decade the Indian chickpea industry underwent a dramatic structural shift following the implementation of market-oriented policies by the Government of India. This paper examines consumer attitudes to quality characteristics of chickpea in India. A linear hedonic price model is estimated using auction price and quality data of chickpea samples obtained from major markets in India. Empirical results indicate that specific physical quality characteristics and purity standards are important factors influencing the price of chickpea in India. Thus, there may be an incentive for domestic producers and sellers of chickpea � and exporting countries � to improve the quality of their product, if improvements in specific physical characteristics and purity can be obtained cost effectively. As trade prospects grow for regionally important food crops like chickpea and other pulses, it is essential that food managers, commodity exporters, and crop breeders have access to critical market information in order to assess the relative economic importance of preferred quality traits and plan their strategies accordingl

Integrating Hidden Unemployment in the Measurement of Unemployment in Selected OECD Countries

This paper utilises OECD bi-annual data from the Economic Outlook database to estimate the extent of hidden unemployment in selected OECD countries. The labour force variations attributable to an economy operating at below full employment level are computed by using a regression modelling framework to generate estimates of the cyclical variations in labour force participation rates. The results show that hidden unemployment is a major problem in the countries studied, and adds to the waste of labour resources that accompany persistent output gaps in OECD countries.Hidden unemployment, unemployment, OECD.

Global price trends of ICRISAT mandate crops

This policy brief provides an overview of the historic trends in the global prices particularly of the ICRISAT mandate cereals (sorghum and millet) and legumes (chickpeas, pigeonpeas and groundnut); an understanding of factors driving them; extent of recent price increase for these crops; impacts and policy implications of price rise in general and for these crops in particular

Long-term unemployment and labour force participation: a decomposition of unemployment to test for the discouragement and added worker hypotheses

We sharpen tests for 'discouragement' and 'added worker' effects by splitting the explanatory variable - the unemployment rate - into a short-term component and a long-term component. While short-term unemployment (STU) might not result in additional workers on a large scale, long-term unemployment (LTU) reduces household income more, increasing the need for additional income. On the other hand, it may discourage older workers for psychological and sociological reasons. Applying our model to the German labour market, these hypotheses could be confirmed. Even for men, about whom only a few empirical studies on this issue are available, distinguishing between STU and LTU reveals added worker as well as discouragement effects