Effects of food prices and consumer income on nutrient availability: An application of the demand for dairy products in Tunisia

Number of Tunisian food demand studies have measured the influence of traditional variables, such as income and prices, and in some cases some socio-demographic variables. However, given increasing concerns about health, other important factors, such as the nutritious quality and the nutrient content of food, have also been shown to determine consumer choices. This paper analyses the effect of these factors on the demand for dairy products. The nutritious quality of dairy products is measured by an index that relates nutrient content of each product with the standards suggested by the National Academy of Science. A demand system is estimated and nutrient demand elasticities with respect to prices and expenditure are obtained. Results differ from traditional studies in the sense that higher prices do not indicate lower consumption but a shift to a higher quality demand.Dairy products demand, health awareness, nutrients, price/quality index, Tunisia, Agricultural and Food Policy, D12, I12,

Assessment of sustainability in organic and conventional farms in Tunisia: The case of olive-growing farms in the region of Sfax

This research has been carried out to study the sustainability of the Tunisian olive-growing farms and to compare the sustainability level of organic with conventional farms. A survey was conducted with 62 olive growers in the region of Sfax in Tunisia. First, a diagnosis of the situation of the farms was undertaken comparing between organic and conventional farms. Second, an empirical analysis was achieved to asses the sustainability of organic farms versus conventional farms following the French “IDEA” method developed by Vilain [1] 1. The “IDEA” indicators showed a greater ranking for the organic farms. The analysis indicated the sustainability of organic farming on the three scales adopted; ecological scale, through the soil fertility and reduction of pollution, socio-territorial scale through employment creation, reinforcement of the spirit of collective work and the products quality, and finally on the economic scale by enhancing profitability, responding to demand and prices allowing organic farming adopters to reach better incomes.sustainability, organic farming, Tunisia, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Managing nitrate pollution in a Tunisian irrigated area: A multi-criteria analysis approach

In Tunisia, the extension of irrigated area is justified by its important role in the development and diversification of agricultural production. Nevertheless, the strong intensification of the agricultural activities may lead to the pollution of underground water resources due to an excess use of fertilisers and other chemical products. In fact, the high nitrate concentrations observed in some Tunisian irrigated areas, are related to the excessive use of nitrate fertilizers in intensive agriculture. The objective of the present study is to implement decision-making methods allowing a better combination of factors production by optimization of an economic objective and an environmental objective. This research is based on multi-criteria modelling through the optimization of two conflict objectives: an economic objective as settled by farmer in the short or medium-run (Gross margin), and an environmental objective (nitrate pollution reduction) as a long-run objective of the decision maker in order to ensure the continuity of agriculture activities and ecosystems sustainability. Data were collected through a survey conducted in the irrigated area of Kalaât El Andalous in Tunisia with a sample containing 57 farms. Efficient solutions were obtained and compared through the "constraints", "NISE" and "compromises" methods. Main results obtained indicate a significant degree of conflict between these two objectives. Indeed the maximization of the total gross margin involves an increase in the degrees of nitrate pollution and conversely. Finally, some policy implications are presented.Nitrate pollution, environmental impact, multicriteria analysis, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Analyzing supply response of fruit tree products in Tunisia: The case of peaches

In Tunisia, peaches have a significant place in the fruit tree sector. Planted areas have been expanding ever since the eighties as a result of irrigation water extension and the use of better yielding varieties. These factors resulted in high production levels and fruit exports thereof. However, important seasonal and annual variation of fruit supplies continues to characterize prices at both wholesale and consumption levels. To study the response of peach production an econometric model was developed. Modelling was carried out in two stages. First area variation was explained through new plantings and removals and second yield variation was analyzed. The methodological approach followed takes into account the characteristics and specificities related to perennial crops. Weak response of supply to variations in expected prices was obtained. Supply price elasticity was estimated about 0.13 suggesting a high degree of inelasticity.Supply response, modeling, price expectations, peaches, Demand and Price Analysis,

Efectos de los precios de los alimentos y de la renta del consumidor sobre la disponibilidad de los nutrientes: Aplicación a la demanda de productos lácteos en Túnez

[EN] Number of Tunisian food demand studies have measured the influence of traditional variables, such as income and prices, and in some cases some sociodemographic variables. However, givenincreasing concerns about health, other important factors, such as the nutritious quality and the nutrientcontent of food, have also been shown to determine consumer choices. This paper analyses the effect ofthese factors on the demand for dairy products. The nutritious quality of dairy products is measured by anindex that relates nutrient content of each product with the standards suggested by the National Academyof Science. A demand system is estimated and nutrient demand elasticities with respect to prices and expenditure are obtained. Results differ from traditional studies in the sense that higher prices do not indicate lower consumption but a shift to a higher quality demand.[ES] La mayoría de la literatura sobre la demanda de alimentos en Túnez ha tratado de medir la influencia de variables tradicionales, renta y precios, así como la de algunas variables sociodemográficas. Sin embargo, hoy en día existen otros factores que pueden determinar la decisión del consumidor. Entre dichos factores destacan la calidad nutricional y el contenido nutritivo de los alimentos. Este trabajo analiza el efecto de estos factores sobre el comportamiento del consumidor de productos lácteos. La calidad nutritiva de los productos lácteos se ha medido a través de un índice que relaciona los aportes de nutrientes de cada producto en relación con los estándares sugeridos por la Academia Nacional de la Ciencia. Se ha estimado un sistema de demanda a partir del cual se han calculado las correspondientes elasticidades de los nutrientes. Los resultados tienden a contradecir los estudios anteriores en el sentido de que mayores precios no indican menor consumo sino una demanda de mayor calidad.Dhehibi, B.; Laajimi, A. (2011). Effects of food prices and consumer income on nutrient availability: An application of the demand for dairy products in Tunisia. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales - Agricultural and Resource Economics. 9(1):23-36. https://doi.org/10.7201/earn.2009.01.02SWORD23369

Effects of food prices and consumer income on nutrient availability: An application of the demand for dairy products in Tunisia

Number of Tunisian food demand studies have measured the influence of traditional variables, such as income and prices, and in some cases some socio-demographic variables. However, given increasing concerns about health, other important factors, such as the nutritious quality and the nutrient content of food, have also been shown to determine consumer choices. This paper analyses the effect of these factors on the demand for dairy products. The nutritious quality of dairy products is measured by an index that relates nutrient content of each product with the standards suggested by the National Academy of Science. A demand system is estimated and nutrient demand elasticities with respect to prices and expenditure are obtained. Results differ from traditional studies in the sense that higher prices do not indicate lower consumption but a shift to a higher quality demand

La demande de viandes et poissons en Espagne : une analyse micro-économique

The demand for meat and fish in Spain : a microeconomic analysis. In this paper the evolution of meat and fish consumption in Spain during the last decade is first described. Beef, pork and chicken consumption declined whereas the other processed meat products increased. The Almost Ideal Demand System has been used to analyse the demand structure for these products with pooled household data for the October 1989 - September 1992 period, based on a microdata set from the Spanish Food Consumption Panel that is being used for the first time in empirical studies. Demographic variables have been introduced using the translation method. The likelihood ratio tests substantiate that the AIDS model with demographic variables performs well for estimating the demand relations. Based on a parametric test, separability between meat and fish has been tested. The result has showed that the purchase decision is taken together and therefore they have to be considered in the same system. Results show that demand is responsive to prices, total expenditure and demographic variables. Beef and fish consumption is higher in urban areas compared to rural areas, as a result of better distribution channels. However, lamb and chicken consumption is higher in rural areas, as a response to a more traditional consumption pattern. Calculated elasticities, based on the estimated model with both homogeneity and symmetry imposed, are more sensitive to variations of total expenditure and own prices than cross prices. The demand is inelastic, except for pork meat. Both chicken and processed meat products are revealed as necessity goods. Substitution relationships have been pointed, showing the strong competition between several types of meats. Comparison with other studies has showed the benefit from using disagregated data and demographic effects when estimating demand relations.Dans ce travail on décrit en premier lieu l'évolution de la consommation des viandes et des poissons en Espagne. Pour analyser la structure de la demande de ces produits, le modèle AIDS (Almost Ideal Demand System) a été utilisé en se basant sur les données du Panel de consommation alimentaire pour la période octobre 1989-septembre 1992. Des effets démographiques ont été introduits dans le modèle selon la méthode de translation. L'hypothèse de séparabilité entre les viandes et les poissons a été testée au moyen d'un test paramétrique et les résultats obtenus ont montré que la décision d'achat est prise à la fois pour ces deux groupes de produits, et que par conséquent ils doivent être considérés dans le même système de demande. Les résultats de l'estimation ont montré que la demande de viandes et de poissons répond aux variations de prix, de la dépense totale et des variables démographiques. Les élasticités calculées indiquent plus de sensibilité envers des variations dans la dépense totale ou les prix propres que dans les prix croisés.Laajimi Abderraouf, Albisu Luis Miguel. La demande de viandes et poissons en Espagne : une analyse micro-économique. In: Cahiers d'Economie et sociologie rurales, N°42-43, 1er et 2e trimestres 1997. économie du développement. Education ; pauvreté ; commerce international. pp. 71-91

How Economic Factors Influence the Nutrient Content of Diets: an Application of Animal Products Demand System in Tunisia

Most of the literature on Tunisian food demand measures the influence of traditional variables such as income and prices, or some socio-demographic variables. However, nowadays other important factors determine the consumer's final choice, among which are: the nutritious quality, the nutrient content of food and the increasing concern about health. The objective of this paper is twofold. On one hand, the paper aims to analyse the effect of previous factors on meat consumer behaviour. On the other hand, to the author's knowledge, this may well be one of the first studies that use data to answer the previous questions in the case of Tunisia. The nutritious quality of meat is measured by an index that relates nutrient content of each product with the standards suggested by the National Academy of Science. To cope with the second objective a demand system has been specified and estimated and nutrient elasticities have been obtained. Results are different from traditional studies in the sense that higher prices do not indicate lower consumption but a higher quality demand

Cambios y nuevas tendencias

1.- ArtículosPosada, Marcelo G. "Las interprofesionales agraolimentarias: La experiencia europea y algunas consideraciones para un caso latinoamericano (Argentina en los '90)"Cartay, Rafael. "Una ojeada al comercio mundial de los alimentos"Odermatt, Pius; Santiago Cruz, María de J. "Ventajas comparativas en la producción de leche en México"Laajimi, Abderraouf; Albisu, Luis Miguel. "El consumo de alimentos en España. Cambios y nuevas tendencias"Koussoula-Bonneton, Athanasia. "El circuito porcino en Guadalupe: Riesgos y perspectivas"2.- Reseña de LibrosAblan, Elvira. "Caracterización de la región alimentaria andina" (Cartay, Rafael)Cartay, Rafael. "Agroindustria y desarrollo rural" (Machado Cartagena, Absalón)[email protected] analíticosemestra