Determinants of Structural Change in the Dairy Sector

Even though the dairy products are not a staple food item, but they are necessary for humans as an excellent source of protein. The consumption of dairy commodities began a long time ago, and over time there has been an improvement in the processing to match the changes in the tastes. Small scale dairy production was the root of today’s dairy sector. However, now it is going on a large scale. This changed gradually through a process accompanied by different factors. This study aimed at identifying and understanding existing determinants and their role behind the change in the dairy sector. For this, peer-reviewed articles published by researchers around the world were obtained with all possible search combinations from reputed online databases. Statistical data were collected from reliable statistical data providers, and all activities were done focusing on the determinants of changing the dairy sector. The regulatory policy framework of dairy-producing countries, change in farm size, shift in consumption pattern, etc. were found as the most crucial factors behind the change. Possible suggestions required to keep pace with this massive change were discussed

Small-Scale Turkey Farming in Bangladesh: Farming Practices, Profitability and Supply Chain Mapping

The study was conducted to know the existing turkey production system, supply chain mapping, and identifying the prospects and problems of turkey rearing in some selected areas of Bangladesh during October 2019 to December 2019. A total of 100 turkey raisers were surveyed following convenience method of sampling technique. The primary data were collected, analyzed accordingly and tabular presentation method was applied with the help of simple descriptive statistical measures e.g. frequency distributions, percentage, sum and means to illustrating the results. Profitability analysis was done on the basis of variable cost, fixed cost, return by using arithmetic means and percentages. The study revealed that 87 male and 13 female respondents were surveyed, of them cent percent found educated. About 56% turkey keeper’s main occupation was business, 27% service and 12% in farming while 88.57% involved with farming as secondary sources of income. Average landholding for homestead, cultivable and non-cultivable was 24.40, 129.71 and 29.47 decimal, respectively. About 59% farms started for commercial purpose, 32% for non-commercial purpose and 9% for both. About 60% respondents kept less than 50 turkeys and only 2% kept 501-1000 turkeys. Among the surveyed farms55% stopped their operation and 45% farms found running their business. Among the running farms cent percent were small-scale group. The average feed intake was 192.13 grams per day per bird at 20 weeks of age. Turkey laid on an average 139 eggs a year irrespective of variety and for hatching poults, the fertility and hatchability rate found between 65 to 100% and 50 to 90%, respectively. About 28% farmers experienced the deaths of turkey because of Cold, Pox, Ranikhet, Bird flu and unknown cases and 69.47% farmers took veterinary advice from Upazila Livestock Hospital and rest from other sources. Farmers to consumers were the most common and widely used marketing channel for egg, chick and adult turkey. The market intermediaries of turkey farm carried out different marketing functions e.g. buying and selling, pricing, transportation, sorting, distribution and market information. The average net return and benefit-cost ratio was BDT 127838.04 and 1.38, respectively for 50 turkeys per year. In the study, turkey rearing found some comparative benefit over chicken and ducks e.g. higher weight gain, forage eater, lower diseases rate and suitability for the country. The main problem of turkey rearing identified as market instability, lack of quality turkey feed, higher feed price, lack of proper marketing facility and training on turkey farming. In conclusion, the small-scale turkey farming could be a viable source of income for the rural people of Bangladesh after taking some remedial steps by the Government of Bangladesh for the aforesaid hindrances faced by the turkey farmers

Consumption pattern and consumer behaviour of fish in Dhaka city

The study was conducted to investigate the consumption level, income elasticities and buying behavior of fish in Dhaka city. The required primary data were collected from 75 households during March 2004 in Dhaka city through purposive sampling method. Monthly per capita consumption of different types of fishes increased with the increase of monthly income. The amount of fish consumption increased more than two times from lower income group to higher income group except kechki (Corea soboma) and mola (Amblapharyngodon mola). These types of fishes were more consumed by lower income group. For this, monthly per capita expenditure percentage decreased with the increase of monthly income except above types of fishes. Most of the fishes were found as a normaVluxury item. Shole (Channa striatus), lati (Channa punctatus) and mola (Amblapharyngodon moia) were found as inferior fish items. Fifty six percent of the households preferred to buy fish in the early morning, 32 percent in the late morning, 13 percent in the evening, 11 percent in the afternoon and 5 percent at noon. The general law of demand was applicable in the study area; that means when the price of fish rose or fell, consumers reduced or increased the consumption of fish. Freshness and taste were found the most important factor for purchasing fish. The households in the studied area for purchasing fish rarely considered the factor cholesterol level. Illish (Hilsha illisha) was found highly preferable and shrimp was found moderately preferable fish for both male and female groups

Profitability of Selected Winter Vegetables and Its Market Outlet for Commercial Farmers: Evidence from Mymensingh District

This study has attempted to examine the profitability of commercially grown cauliflower and cabbage and its market outlet. The study is based on primary data collected in January 2021 from vegetables producers through face-to-face interview method using structured interview schedule. In total 80 commercial farmers (i.e., 40 farmers from each vegetable) were selected purposively from Sadar upazila of Mymensingh district. Tabular and descriptive analyses were used to determine the cost and returns of vegetables cultivation by commercial farmers. Least significant difference (LSD) of multiple comparisons of mean was applied to determine profitable market outlets for cauliflower and cabbage. The study found that both cauliflower and cabbage cultivation were profitable. The per hectare gross costs of cauliflower and cabbage production and marketing by farmers were Tk. 1,93,535 and Tk. 1,95,864, respectively and the corresponding net returns were Tk. 90,329 and Tk. 90,981. Three different market outlets (farm gate, local market, and district market) were found where farmers sold their cauliflower and cabbage. Farmers who sold their cauliflower and cabbage from district market outlet gained maximum net returns, which were Tk.1,31,093 and Tk. 1,07,221, respectively. The results of LSD test established that among the three market outlets, the mean net return earned by selling cauliflower and cabbage to district market is higher than the mean net return earned by selling to farm gate market. Therefore, district market outlet is significantly more profitable outlet for both cauliflower and cabbage. However, most of the farmers chose farm gate market for selling their cabbage and cauliflower because they feel comfortable to sell their vegetables from farm gate area. [J Bangladesh Agril Univ 2023; 21(2.000): 186-194

Demand for Selected Animal Sourced Protein Food Items in United States

Consumers’ preference for food is ever-changing from carbohydrate to protein since protein plays a vital role in the balanced and healthy growth of human being. Among different sources of protein, animal sourced protein foods are getting popularity over time in United States. How demand for animal sourced protein food items are changing, and to be specific which animal food items are preferred by consumers are necessary to know both for producers and suppliers. This study estimates consumer demand for animal sourced food items in U.S. employing linear approximation of AIDS (LA-AIDS) model. Monthly per capita consumption expenditure data on aggregate and disaggregate animal protein items and price indices at national level from 1995 to 2016 have been collected from the Bureau of Economic Analysis of United States. The data consists of monthly per capita consumption expenditure on beef and veal, pork, other meats, poultry, and fish and seafood, and their price indices. The result shows exogenous growth in the budget share of all meat items. Estimated expenditure and cross price elasticities suggest that all goods are normal in nature and substitute to each other. In addition, weak separability test suggests that meat items are separable from non-meat items. The findings of the study would be helpful understanding consumer preferences and behavior for allocating budget among different sources of animal protein

LIVESTOCK MARKET INTEGRATION AND PRICE DYNAMICS IN THE UNITED STATES

This study examines livestock market integration and price dynamics in the United States using weekly price series of five major livestock market from October 2005 to March 2015. Engle-Granger and Gregory-Hansen bivariate co-integration tests and Johansen multivariate co-integration test were employed to measure integration among spatially separated markets. Price dynamics among livestock markets were investigated by the Vector Error Correction model. The result indicates that all markets are co-integrated with sharing a common stochastic trend suggesting the ‘Law of One Price’. The long-run and short-run dynamics of price suggest that the transmission of price changes from one market to another market during the same week is very fast. Livestock markets in the United States are well integrated reflecting satisfactory level of price discovery and market efficiency

YOUNG CONSUMERS' ECO-FRIENDLY FOOD PURCHASING CONSCIOUSNESS-BEHAVIOR GAP IN BANGLADESH

The demand for eco-friendly food is increasing globally, including Bangladesh. This study aimed to examine the environmental consciousness and knowledge-behavior gap of young consumers regarding eco-friendly food purchasing intentions in Bangladesh. Survey data were collected from 200 young university students employing purposive random sampling methods in 2019. The results reveal that most young consumers have strong environmental consciousness and intention to purchase green products. While purchasing, they usually prefer eco-labeled and environment-friendly products. The factors fueling the respondents' environment consciousness-behavior gap include unavailability of eco-friendly products, the high price of available eco-friendly products, and minimum eco-friendly product alternatives to conventional products. Making eco-friendly products available for all and alternatives to regular food commodities will favorably foster the purchasing intention of eco-friendly food in Bangladesh

Consumer concern about food safety hazards along the vegetables value chain in Bangladesh

The study analyzes consumer concerns regarding food safety hazards along Bangladesh's major vegetable value chain. By collecting data from a consumer survey of 140 samples, the study investigated the worries about chemical, biological, and lifestyle hazards of major vegetables. The findings reveal that consumers' concerns about chemical, biological, and lifestyle hazards varied significantly depending on their education level, marital status, occupation, and income. Consumers are most concerned about chemical hazards, while they are least concerned about lifestyle hazards. More precisely, consumer concerns about chemical hazards are significantly and positively associated with education, income, marital status, and sources of information; biological hazards are significantly and positively affected by education, marital status, family size, sources of information, and presence of a child in the family; and lifestyle hazards are significantly and positively affected by education, income, marital status, and sources of information. We found that consumer trust in vegetable value chain actors about safe food practices is significantly and negatively related to food safety concerns. The government should provide customers with additional data to assist them in identifying the inherent food safety and quality attributes