Determinants of agricultural insurance adoption: evidence from farmers in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the determinants of agricultural insurance adoption by farmers of the state of São Paulo, Brazil.Design/methodology/approach – Primary data from the 2015/2016 crop season was collected from a sample of 175 farmers. Logit econometric models were applied to identify the variables that affect the probability of agricultural insurance adoption.Findings – The empirical results show that the education level, access to technical assistance, use of management tools and farm size positively affect the probability of adopting agricultural insurance. In addition, farmers who produce soybean and/or corn are more likely to use insurance. On the other hand, the higher the farmers’ propensity to take risk the lower the likelihood of using insurance.Research limitations/implications – The empirical analysis is based on cross-sectional data of a sample of 175 farmers of the state of São Paulo. The use of panel data with a larger sample of farmers, considering a period of years, could provide additional information.Originality/value – To the best of the knowledge, this is the first empirical analysis about determinants of agricultural insurance adoption by Brazilian farmers, considering behavioral factors. The findings provide useful insights for policymakers in formulating risk management programs in the Brazilian agricultural markets. A better understanding about the determinants of insurance adoption is also relevant for private companies that sell insurance to farmers. Therefore, the paper may contribute with the diffusion of rural insurance as risk management tool in Brazilian agriculture

Formas plurais de governança: uma análise das transações de suprimento entre frigoríficos e pecuaristas

sem informaçãoEste trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar a existência de formas plurais na transação entre frigoríficos e pecuaristas, observando os determinantes para a escolha das diferentes estruturas de governança. Para tanto, realizaram-se estudos de caso junto a tr524761782sem informaçãosem informaçãosem informaçã

A genome survey of Moniliophthora perniciosa gives new insights into Witches' Broom Disease of cacao

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The basidiomycete fungus <it>Moniliophthora perniciosa </it>is the causal agent of Witches' Broom Disease (WBD) in cacao (<it>Theobroma cacao</it>). It is a hemibiotrophic pathogen that colonizes the apoplast of cacao's meristematic tissues as a biotrophic pathogen, switching to a saprotrophic lifestyle during later stages of infection. <it>M. perniciosa</it>, together with the related species <it>M. roreri</it>, are pathogens of aerial parts of the plant, an uncommon characteristic in the order Agaricales. A genome survey (1.9× coverage) of <it>M. perniciosa </it>was analyzed to evaluate the overall gene content of this phytopathogen.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Genes encoding proteins involved in retrotransposition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) resistance, drug efflux transport and cell wall degradation were identified. The great number of genes encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (1.15% of gene models) indicates that <it>M. perniciosa </it>has a great potential for detoxification, production of toxins and hormones; which may confer a high adaptive ability to the fungus. We have also discovered new genes encoding putative secreted polypeptides rich in cysteine, as well as genes related to methylotrophy and plant hormone biosynthesis (gibberellin and auxin). Analysis of gene families indicated that <it>M. perniciosa </it>have similar amounts of carboxylesterases and repertoires of plant cell wall degrading enzymes as other hemibiotrophic fungi. In addition, an approach for normalization of gene family data using incomplete genome data was developed and applied in <it>M. perniciosa </it>genome survey.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This genome survey gives an overview of the <it>M. perniciosa </it>genome, and reveals that a significant portion is involved in stress adaptation and plant necrosis, two necessary characteristics for a hemibiotrophic fungus to fulfill its infection cycle. Our analysis provides new evidence revealing potential adaptive traits that may play major roles in the mechanisms of pathogenicity in the <it>M. perniciosa</it>/cacao pathosystem.</p

Determinantes da demanda e da utilização de crédito rural por produtores de bovinos de corte no estado de São Paulo

The present study aims to identify determinants of the decision of beef cattle farmers on whether or not to demand rural credit. The specific purposes are: i) identify barriers to the rural credit demand by beef cattle farmers in the state of Sao Paulo; ii) identify determinants of adoption of different rural credit contracts by beef cattle farmers and; iii) identify determinants of the volume of rural credit used by beef cattle farmers. The sample comprises data on 86 livestock farmers in 10 regions of São Paulo State. The empirical analysis of the survey data is performed with the estimation of a logit model and with descriptive statistics. The theoretical framework used was the New Institutional Economics applied to the context of rural credit markets, with main focus on screening, monitoring and enforcement problems of rural credit contracts. The results show that all farmers who demanded credit in 2010 had access to it. However, the bureaucracy (which increases transaction costs) inherent in the process of obtaining credit and the fear of losing the collateral has been identified as mechanisms of selfselection and therefore self-exclusion from the process of farmers demand for rural credit. In the logit model results was found that farmers who adopted capital intensive production systems, have off-farm income, have more than one farm, are younger and are affiliated to producers association linked to livestock are more likely to demand rural credit. Some of these variables, such as greater number of farms and income from off-farm activities may present distortions in rural credit policy for beef cattle in São Paulo. Resources under special conditions from the governmental rural credit program may be coming at the hands of farmers who least need these resources. To identify the determinants of the expansion of access and use of rural credit by farmers were also used a logit model. The results showed that farmers who adopted capital intensive production systems, have more farms, are older and adopt risk management mechanisms are more likely to use two or more rural credit contracts. These farmers have adopted different strategies to overcome the volume limits of governmental rural credit, which were presented in the study. We concluded that the relaxation of requirements for obtaining rural credit is not the best mechanism to increase demand and use of rural credit by beef cattle farmers. On the contrary, the relaxation of conditions of access to rural credit can make the results of the rural credit policy disastrous in terms of default and financial sustainability. Last but not least, some suggestions were presented for beef cattle rural credit policy in the State of São Paulo. These suggestions are grounded in the results of econometric models presented here and go beyond the rural credit market itself.Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisO presente trabalho tem como principal objetivo identificar os determinantes da demanda de crédito rural por produtores de bovinos de corte no Estado de São Paulo. Os objetivos específicos são: i) identificar os entraves à demanda de crédito rural pelos produtores de bovinos de corte no Estado de São Paulo; ii) identificar os fatores determinantes da adoção de diferentes contratos de crédito rural pelos pecuaristas de corte paulistas e; iii) identificar os fatores determinantes do volume de crédito rural utilizado pelos produtores. Para atender tais objetivos, foram coletados dados primários junto a 86 pecuaristas de corte em 10 mesorregiões do Estado de São Paulo no período de janeiro a setembro de 2011. Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatísticas descritivas (média, freqüência, desvio-padrão, etc.) e modelos econométricos (modelo logit e modelo de regressão linear múltipla). As análises foram realizadas a luz da Nova Economia Institucional aplicada ao contexto do funcionamento do mercado de crédito rural, com enfoque principal nos problemas de screening, monitoramento e enforcement dos contratos de crédito rural. Os resultados encontrados demonstraram que todos os pecuaristas da amostra que demandaram crédito rural em 2010 obtiveram acesso ao mesmo. Contudo, a burocracia (que aumenta os custos de transação) inerente ao processo de obtenção de crédito e o receio de perder a garantia foram identificadas como mecanismos de auto-seleção e, consequentemente, auto-exclusão dos pecuaristas do processo de demanda por crédito rural. Os resultados do modelo logit mostraram que os pecuaristas que possuem maior número de propriedades rurais, maior intensidade tecnológica no sistema de produção, fontes de renda oriunda de atividades não rurais, são mais novos e participam de redes políticas relacionadas à produção rural possuem maior probabilidade de demandar crédito rural. Algumas destas variáveis, como por exemplo, maior número de propriedades e renda oriunda de atividades não rurais podem apresentar distorções na política de crédito rural para a pecuária de corte paulista. Recursos controlados pelo governo a taxas de juros subsidiadas podem estar chegando às mãos dos pecuaristas que menos necessitam de tais recursos. Para identificar os fatores que determinam a expansão do acesso e da utilização de crédito rural pelos pecuaristas de corte paulistas também foram utilizados modelos logit. Os resultados dos modelos mostraram que os pecuaristas que possuem maior intensidade tecnológica, maior número de propriedades, adotam mecanismos de gestão de risco e são mais velhos possuem maior probabilidade de utilizar dois ou mais contratos de crédito rural. Esses pecuaristas adotam diferentes estratégias para superar os limites de volume do crédito rural oficial, as quais foram apresentadas no estudo. Concluiu-se que o afrouxamento das exigências para a obtenção de crédito rural não é o melhor mecanismo para aumentar a demanda e a utilização de crédito rural pelos pecuaristas de corte em São Paulo. Pelo contrário, o afrouxamento das condições de acesso pode tornar os resultados da política de crédito rural desastrosos do ponto de vista da inadimplência e da sustentabilidade financeira. Por fim, foram apresentadas algumas sugestões para a política de crédito rural na pecuária de corte no Estado de São Paulo. Essas sugestões estão embasadas nos resultados dos modelos econométricos do presente estudo e perpassam por outros mercados além do mercado de crédito rural propriamente dito

Determinantes da eficiência técnica e econômica da citricultura em propriedades rurais do Estado de São Paulo

The aim of this study was to measure the technical and economic efficiency differentials in citrus production among farms in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, as well as to identify the determining factors of these differentials. In addition, it was also an objective to investigate the main characteristics of citrus production technology (partial elasticities, returns of scale, economies of scale and the elasticities of substitution of production factors). Primary data was collected from a representative random sample of 98 rural properties. Stochastic production, cost and profit frontier models were used, assuming the Cobb-Douglas and the translog functional forms. In order to identify the factors determining the efficiency differentials, the single-stage stochastic model proposed by Battese and Coelli (1995) was adopted, and a set of hypotheses were tested, based on different standpoints of economic theory (NEI, ECT, theories of human capital, theories of production management, etc) as well as on the characteristics of citrus production. The results of the study showed the existence of technical inefficiency (28.4% on average), as well as inefficiency of cost (30.6% on average), and of profits (55.3 on average) among the farms. The translog production and cost frontiers indicated the existence of an initial zone with strong growing returns/economies of scale which go into exhaustion until decreasing returns begin to occur/diseconomies of scale. The optimum scale, calculated from the parameters estimated in the translog production frontier, showed to be between 70,000-100,000 boxes, while the optimal scale for the translog cost frontier showed to be between 130,000-300,000 boxes. One of the explanations for this difference is the lower prices for fertilizers and labor paid by large farmers, which is a source of pecuniary scale economy. As for the factors determining the differential in technical, cost, and profit efficiency, it was possible to verify a significant effect coming from a set of variables which can be divided into structural (irrigation, greening and land consolidation), managerial (adoption of management tools, use of plural forms of governance, choice of marketing channels, rural production diversification and technical assistance), institutional (occurrence of problems in the contracts of sale, formation of expectations, perception of enforcement in commercial contracts and financial leverage), and human capital (schooling and access to information). Therefore, some of the main research hypotheses were corroborated in the empirical analyses. Lastly, based on the results of the study, a set of suggestions that may subsidize the formulation of public policies and private strategies for the citrus production of São Paulo were made.Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisEsse trabalho teve os objetivos principais de mensurar os diferenciais de eficiência técnica e econômica na produção citrícola entre propriedades rurais do Estado de São Paulo, bem como de identificar os fatores determinantes desses diferenciais. Além disso, também objetivou-se investigar as principais características da tecnologia de produção citrícola (elasticidades parciais, retornos de escala, economias de escala e elasticidades de substituição entre os fatores de produção). Para tal, foram coletados dados primários junto a uma amostra aleatória representativa de 98 propriedades rurais e utilizaram-se modelos estocásticos de fronteira de produção, de custo e de lucro sob pressuposição das formas funcionais Cobb-Douglas e translog. Para identificar os fatores determinantes dos diferenciais de eficiência, adotou-se o modelo estocástico de um único estágio proposto por Battese e Coelli (1995) e testou-se um conjunto de hipóteses baseadas em diferentes vertentes da teoria econômica (NEI, ECT, teorias de adoção de tecnologias, teorias de capital humano, teorias de gestão da produção, etc) e nas características da produção citrícola. Os resultados do trabalho mostraram a existência de ineficiência técnica (28,4%, em média), de custo (30,6%, em média) e de lucro (55,3%, em média) entre as propriedades rurais. As fronteiras de produção e custo translog indicaram a existência de uma região inicial com fortes retornos crescentes/economias de escala que vão se esgotando até que começam a ocorrer retornos decrescentes/deseconomias de escala. A escala ótima, calculada a partir dos parâmetros estimados na fronteira de produção translog, apresentou-se entre 70.000-100.000 caixas, à medida que, para a fronteira de custo translog, a escala ótima apresentou-se entre 130.000-300.000 caixas. Uma das explicações para essa diferença está no pagamento de preços mais baixos para fertilizantes e mão de obra nas grandes propriedades rurais, o que se constitui em uma fonte de economia de escala pecuniária. Quanto aos fatores determinantes dos diferenciais de eficiência técnica, de custo e de lucro, constatou-se efeito significativo de um conjunto de variáveis estruturais (irrigação, adensamento e greening), gerenciais (adoção de ferramentas de gestão, uso de formas plurais de governança, escolha de canais de comercialização, diversificação da produção e assistência técnica), institucionais (ocorrência de problemas nos contratos de venda, formação de expectativas, percepção de enforcement nos contratos comerciais e nível de alavancagem financeira) e de capital humano (escolaridade e acesso à informação). Assim, algumas das principais hipóteses da pesquisa foram corroboradas nas análises empíricas. Por fim, com base nos resultados do trabalho foi feito um conjunto de sugestões que pode subsidiar a formulação de políticas públicas e estratégias privadas para a citricultura paulista

Economias de Escala e Eficiência Econômica na Produção de Laranja no Estado de São Paulo

This study aimed to investigate the existence of economies of scale and cost inefficiency in citrus production in São Paulo State. To this end, primary data was collected from a random sample of 98 citrus farms. Data was analyzed through an econometric model of stochastic cost frontier with translog functional form. It was found the existence of significant economies of scale for low/medium production levels (up to 40 thousand boxes). Diseconomies of scale for production emerge for production larger than 300 thousand boxes. Minimum average cost is between 150,000 and 300,000 boxes regarding production levels. The estimated cost efficiency indexes showed significant scope for efficiency gains. The most cost efficient farms in the sample are capital intensive. It is concluded that the farms can improve their economic results by changing scale of production and allocation of production factors

Economias de Escala e Eficiência Econômica na Produção de Laranja no Estado de São Paulo

This study aimed to investigate the existence of economies of scale and cost inefficiency in citrus production in São Paulo State. To this end, primary data was collected from a random sample of 98 citrus farms. Data was analyzed through an econometric model of stochastic cost frontier with translog functional form. It was found the existence of significant economies of scale for low/medium production levels (up to 40 thousand boxes). Diseconomies of scale for production emerge for production larger than 300 thousand boxes. Minimum average cost is between 150,000 and 300,000 boxes regarding production levels. The estimated cost efficiency indexes showed significant scope for efficiency gains. The most cost efficient farms in the sample are capital intensive. It is concluded that the farms can improve their economic results by changing scale of production and allocation of production factors