The Demand for Imported Apple Juice in the United States

This study estimates U.S. demand for imported apple juice by exporting country. Given that China has emerged as the top supplier to the U.S., we focus on the impact of China on competing exporting countries. Results show that U.S. imports from Argentina, Chile, and the rest of the world (ROW) were significantly responsive to apple juice prices in China. U.S. imports from China were significantly responsive to prices in Argentina, Chile and the ROW as well; however, the responsiveness of imports from China to apple juice prices in these countries was relatively smaller than the responsiveness of imports from these countries to China’s price.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, International Relations/Trade,

Analysis of U.S. Demand for Imported Melons using a Dynamic Almost Ideal Demand System

Melons constitute an important part of the U.S. fruit and vegetable industry even though they are produced only from May through December of each year. Import supplies from Latin American countries are used to make up for the domestic demand shortages. This paper investigates the U.S. demand for imported fresh and frozen melons using quarterly data on import volumes and unit prices. A static and a dynamic linear approximated almost ideal demand systems were estimated using ITSUR. Marshallian and Hicksian elasticities were used to analyze consumers’ responsiveness to price and income change in the short run and the long run.Agribusiness, Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade,

Why Are There Seeds In My Banana? A Look at Ornamental Bananas

In many parts of the world bananas are a staple food, while in other regions they are a highly valued ornamental plant. Bananas are the fourth most important food crop in the world, and they are also used in many other ways—every part of the plant has value. In addition to the standard dessert bananas, there is another group of species in the banana genus that are much less known in the United States but offer some wonderful options as landscape plants. This group of banana species is known as ornamental bananas. This paper sheds some light on ornamental banana cultivars that provide a tropical atmosphere to gardens in the Southeast region of the United States.Crop Production/Industries,

Demand Estimation for US Apple Juice Imports: A Restricted Source Differentiated AIDS Model

Although this paper focuses on apple juice, a restricted version of source differentiated Almost Ideal Demand System (RSDAIDS) was used to examine U.S. import demand for fresh apple, apple juice and other processed apple. Apple imports were differentiated by type and source of origin and the RSDAIDS model was estimated after imposing the general demand restrictions of adding-up, homogeneity and slutsky symmetry. Seasonality and trend variables were also included on the model. The estimation results showed that U.S. demand for apple juice from China was price inelastic with relatively high expenditure elasticity. We believe the result partially explains why China managed to have a 60 percent import market share in the sub-market despite U.S. imposition of high duties on Chinese apple juice.Import demand estimation, apple juice, RSDAIDS, Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade,

BANANA CULTIVAR TRIALS FOR FRUIT PRODUCTION, ORNAMENTAL-LANDSCAPE USE, AND ORNAMENTAL-NURSERY PRODUCTION IN SOUTH GEORGIA

North America is the largest net importer of bananas on a regional basis. The United States is still the worldÂ’'s number- one importer and consumer of bananas. U.S. companies spend approximately $1.1 billion each year on banana imports, purchasing 31.1% of total world imports (Fonsah 2002; FAO 2001). Bananas and plantains together have been rated the fourth most important crop in the world in terms of food value and food security. This research is aimed at determining the feasibility and suitability of Annual Cropping Production (ACP) for a niche market under Georgia weather conditions and, determining which cultivars have the greatest potential for ornamental-landscape use and ornamental-nursery production. Phenological and pomological sampling and data will be used to analyze the feasibility and suitability of ACP and ornamental use.banana, cultivars, input application, fertility, field operations, production, marketing, quality, landscape, green industry, finger length, calibration, pseudo-stem, Crop Production/Industries,

Competiveness of Latin American Exports in the U.S. Banana Market

U.S. banana demand differentiated by country of origin is estimated using the generalized dynamic Rotterdam model. Results indicate that dynamic factors play a significant role in determining the allocation of U.S. banana expenditures across exporting sources. Of particular interest is Guatemala’s increased share and Costa Rica’s decreased share of U.S. banana supply. A number of factors explained why Guatemala replaced Costa Rica as the leading U.S. supplier in 2007. (1) Guatemala is the least expensive source on average. (2) Habit persistence, adjustment costs, and other dynamic factors favor Guatemala’s exports. (3) Given increases in the relative price of Costa Rica’s bananas, the price competition between Costa Rica and Guatemala is highly significant. (4) Bananas from Costa Rica are highly responsive to own-price while imports from Guatemala are more price-inelastic. (5) Heavy rains and fluctuating temperatures in Costa Rica have decreased banana production and exports.bananas, imports, demand, Latin America, United States, Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade, F14, Q11, Q13, Q17,

Second Year Banana Cultivar Trial in South Georgia

The development of the annual cropping production system (ACP) and more cold-tolerant cultivars has allowed commercial banana production outside the traditional production belt. This evaluation of 32 cultivars was initiated to determine the feasibility and suitability of Annual Cropping Production (ACP) for niche/ethnic markets under Georgia weather conditions; determine the growth performance, fruit quality, and marketability; and determine which cultivars have sufficient cold hardiness for ornamental landscape use.Crop Production/Industries,

A source-differentiated analysis of tropical fresh fruit imports

A source-differentiated Almost Ideal Demand System model is used to analyze U.S. demand for the major tropical fresh fruit imports from different countries of origin. The tropical fresh fruits chosen for analysis include fresh bananas, fresh pineapples, papayas, and mangoes/guavas. To address endogeneity problem, we utilized an iterative 3SLS estimation method. Results show that consumer incomes are a major determinant of tropical fresh fruit import demand and most of the tropical fresh fruit imports are luxury commodities. U.S. consumers have a preference for Guatemalan and Costa Rican bananas, Costa Rican and Honduras pineapples, and Ecuador and Mexican mangoes. A competitive relationship exists between bananas from Ecuador and Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica, Costa Rica, and Ecuador and bananas in general face competition from the other tropical fresh fruits, particularly from most pineapple and mango sources, and all the other fresh fruit imports. Based on the study findings, the countries of origin could determine how they could increase their products market share in the U.S. and likely impact of price changes of their commodity. For example, Mexico could utilize price competition strategies to retain and regain its declining U.S. mango market share.Tropical Fresh Fruits, Source-Differentiated AIDS model, Import Demand, Crop Production/Industries,

Economic Analysis of Southern Highbush Blueberry Production Using Drip Irrigation and Frost Protection in Georgia, USA

A partial enterprise budget simply evaluates the costs and returns profile of the agricultural firm. The simplicity in the partial enterprise budget comes with a cost that it lacks accuracy as it uses fixed single estimates and ignores potential variation in the components of the agricultural production processes. We study risk-rated returns from southern highbush blueberry production using a drip irrigation system under 5 scenarios of the blueberry prices and yields. The risk-rated return analysis gauges the returns over total costs under different specified situations addressing possible uncertainty. We show the chance of profit from southern highbush blueberry in Georgia is 69% in any full production year with the expected returns over costs of $952 per acre. This approach is helpful to minimize risk at the farmer’s production level and policy formation level

Innovation Systems and Technical Efficiency in Developing-Country Agriculture

The paper uses a stochastic frontier analysis of production functions to estimate the level of technical efficiency in agriculture for a panel of 29 developing countries in Africa and Asia between 1994 and 2000. In addition, the paper examines how different components of an agricultural innovation system interact to determine the estimated technical inefficiencies. Results show that the mean level of technical efficiency among the sampled countries was about 86 percent, with some modest increases during the period in question. These results suggest that there is room for significant increases of production through reallocations of existing resources. Despite significant variation among countries, these results also indicate quite a number of least developed countries have high mean efficiency scores, implying a need to focus on investment that pushes the production frontier outward in these countries. Several measures of agricultural R&D achievement and intensity, along with educational enrollment, are found to enhance agricultural efficiency. On the other hand, countries with higher levels of official development assistance, foreign direct investment, and a greater share of land under irrigation are found to be performing poorly in their agricultural efficiency score.agricultural innovation systems, technical efficiency, developing country agriculture, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Food Security and Poverty, International Development, Production Economics, Productivity Analysis,