Australian Consumers' Concerns and Preferences for Food Policy Alternatives

Results from a 2007 Australian consumer survey conducted at a large farmers market are used to explore the hypothesis that consumers who are more concerned about certain types of food labeling information, particularly information related to food production attributes, are more likely to support policies which help develop farmers markets and support mandatory labeling policies. Product information and attributes such as Country-of-Origin, No Growth Hormones Used, Free Range and Animals Treated Humanely and Environmentally-friendly appear to be very important to consumers. It appears that respondents want increased government involvement in developing consistent food labelling standards for these attributes and support mandatory food labelling policies, however, respondents are split between whether third-parties or the Australian government should oversee regulation of the program. Some respondents appear to view a mandatory labelling policy as a method to improve competitiveness and sustainability of small food producers who want to use labelling to differentiate themselves. Respondents also tended to support the government subsidizing the development of farmers markets. Respondents viewed FM as an opportunity to gain additional information or purchase foods that have credence attributes such as pesticide-free. Thus, policies supporting FM may help alleviate market failures related to asymmetric information and lack of choice.market failure, consumers, farmers markets, labelling, Agricultural and Food Policy,

Farm-retail price spread for pork in Malaysia

The price difference between farm and retail levels is called price spread, which is constituted mostly by marketing costs and profits. From the price spread, this paper intends to estimate elasticities of price transmission for pork in Malaysia via different empirical model specifications of markup pricing model. Using data from January 1997 to December 2007, a quantitative analysis of farm-to-retail price spreads was undertaken for pork in Malaysia. It was found that retail price is the only variable which is significant. The farm-retail price transmission for pork is very elastic.Price spread, elasticity of price transmission, pork

Relationship quality as the predictor of long term relationship in the Malaysian dairy industry

Dairy market in Malaysia has been increasing due to high income and population growth in the region. In response to the increasing demand, milk processors need to obtain constant milk supplies from the dairy farmers. One way of doing this is when the buyers and the sellers build and maintain quality relationships in order to enhance long term sustainability of the milk supply. This paper examines the determinants of relationship quality and its role in enhancing long term relationship between the Malaysian milk processors and dairy farmers. The study revealed that where as mutuality and price satisfaction influence the perceived relationship quality of the farmers positively; dependency and price flexibility do not. Furthermore, the perceived relationship quality of the farmers has a positive influence on long term orientation of the relationship.Long term relationships, Relationship Quality, Dairy Industry, Malaysia

Using Best-Worst Scaling to Determine Market Channel Choice by Small Farmers in Indonesia

A household survey and a novel Best-Worst scaling method are used to examine the relative importance of various buyer characteristics to small potato farmers in Indonesia. A Latent Class Cluster Analysis is used explore whether producers’ utilities for marketing channels are heterogeneous. For the aggregate sample, the attributes related to the buyer providing immediate cash payment, a price premium and always following through on their commitment to buy their potatoes were the three most important attributes. The results of the Latent Class Cluster Analysis found four unique classes or segments of producers, each with distinct utilities for buyer characteristics and interesting differences socio-demographic characteristics. The largest segment (44%) was relatively similar to the aggregate, placing a high importance on cash payment, price and willingness to negotiate. Two segments, 24% and 16% of producers placed a relatively high importance on the buyer providing access to certified potato seed or finance for purchasing inputs, and another segment placed the highest importance on having a long-term relationship with their buyer. This has interesting implications for traders, particularly traders who are interested in securing a long-term relationship with potato producers – simply being able to provide cash at the time potatoes are delivered and/or a small premium may immediately increase the strength of the relationship.Best-Worst Scaling, Latent Class Cluster Analysis, marketing channel choice, Indonesia, potato farmers, small farmers, Marketing,

Building producer loyalty in Malaysia's fresh milk supply chain

The paper presents results from a survey of 133 dairy producers in Malaysia, and identifies how Malaysian milk buyers can build a loyal customer base with their suppliers as a means to secure uninterrupted milk supplies. A structural equation model was conducted to test the conceptual model using AMOS 17.0 software. The results show that whereas timely and collaborative communication, price satisfaction and cultural fit influence positively suppliers’ contractual and competence trust in their buyers, power dependency negatively influences competence trust. Furthermore, suppliers’ trust in their buyers will eventually lead to loyalty. The principal implication is that milk processors and other buyers need to engage in collaborative communication with the dairy farmers to ensure continuous and uninterrupted supply.dairy, Malaysia, customer base, competence trust, suppliers trust, collaborative communication, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, Industrial Organization, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Marketing, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Indonesia in a Reforming World Economy: Effects on Agriculture, Trade and the Environment

In the mid-1990s a joint research project was established between CASER (Bogor), CIES (Adelaide), CSIS ( Jakarta) and RSPAS (at ANU, Canberra) to examine interactions between agriculture, trade and the environment in Indonesia. Funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR Project No. 9449), the specific objective of the project was to assess the production, consumption, trade, income distributional, regional, environmental, and welfare eff ects in Indonesia of structural and policy changes at home and abroad. Particular attention was to be paid to those structural and policy changes that could aff ect Indonesia’s agricultural sector over the next 5-10 years. The implications of national and global economic growth, of regional and multilateral trade liberalisation initiatives, and of Indonesia’s ongoing unilateral policy reforms were the initial focus of the study. However, with the onslaught of the financial crisis that began in the latter part of 1997, the project leaders added that issue to the research agenda

The economics of protecting tiger populations: linking household behavior to poaching and prey depletion

The tiger ( Panthera tigris ) is classified as endangered and populations continue to decline. This paper presents a formal economic analysis of the two most imminent threats to the survival of wild tigers: poaching tigers and hunting their prey. A model is developed to examine interactions between tigers and farm households living in and around tiger habitats. The analysis extends the existing literature on tiger demography, incorporating predator-prey interactions and exploring the sensitivity of tiger populations to key economic parameters. The analysis aims to contribute to policy debates on how best to protect one of the world' s most endangered wild cats

Relationship quality as the predictor of long term relationship in the Malaysian dairy industry

Dairy market in Malaysia has been increasing due to high income and population growth in the region. In response to the increasing demand, milk processors need to obtain constant milk supplies from the dairy farmers. One way of doing this is when the buyers and the sellers build and maintain quality relationships in order to enhance long term sustainability of the milk supply. This paper examines the determinants of relationship quality and its role in enhancing long term relationship between the Malaysian milk processors and dairy farmers. The study revealed that where as mutuality and price satisfaction influence the perceived relationship quality of the farmers positively; dependency and price flexibility do not. Furthermore, the perceived relationship quality of the farmers has a positive influence on long term orientation of the relationship