Effect of Ondo State Agricultural Inputs Supply Agency on profitability of crop farmers in Owo Lga, Ondo State, Nigeria

This study assessed the effect of Ondo State Agricultural Inputs Supply Agency (OSAISA) on the profitability of crop farmers in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. The study specifically described the socio-economic characteristics of arable crop farmers, compared the profitability of OSAISA patronizing food crop farmers (PF) and non-patronizing food crop farmers (NPF) and identified the various constraints encountered by patronizing farmers in dealing with OSAISA. One hundred and twenty food crop farmers random sampling procedure. Information was obtained from the respondents using a well-structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed with both descriptive statistics and budgeting technique. Findings revealed that 88.3% and 86.7% of the PF and NPF, respectively were males. About 50.0% of PF and 56.7% of NPF were between 41 and 50 years of age. The net farm income of the PF was greater than the NPF and benefit cost ratio for PF was more sustainable and viable than that of NPF. The major constraint faced by the OSAISA’ PF was inadequate capital to purchase the desired inputs. Based on the results, the study concludes that OSAISA contributes tremendously to the profitability of patronizing farmers in the study area. It is, therefore, recommended that farmers should be given easy access to acquire loan to meet their input demand and farming business in general; including adequate and timely supply of inputs for effective and efficient productivity.

Input Demand and Output Supply Elasticities of Coarse Cereals in India: A Translog Profit and Sure Approach

Aims: The aim was to estimate the output supply and input demand elasticities of maize, jowar and bajra production, using the restricted normalised translog profit function, for the major producing states of India (Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan). Study Design: A stratified multi-stage random sampling design was adopted for carrying out the sampling. Place and Duration of Study: The study pertains to cross sectional plot level data for the period 2013-14 and 2017-18. The study is based on secondary data, collected from Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. Methodology: For the present studied crops (maize, jowar and bajra), those states were selected which covered maximum area, i.e, 85% of the total area under the cultivation. Socio-economic data of farmers such as age, sex, level of education, occupation, size of landholding were collected. The translog profit function approach was used as the econometric technique to estimate output supply, and input demand functions. Labour, fertiliser and seeds are taken as variable inputs. Statistical software STATA version 16 was used for the analysis. Results: The results suggest that the changes in market prices of inputs and output significantly affect the farmers’ profits, crop produce supply and the use of resources in the cultivation of these crops. The supply elasticities of maize, jowar and bajra with respect to its own prices are positive and statistically significant indicating that increase in support prices can boost the supply of these nutri-grains and farmers profits. Labour demand for these crops in the country is elastic and significant to its own price. Conclusion: During both the periods, 2013-14 (typical monsoon year) and 2017-18 (drought year), the elasticities derived are statistically robust as almost all of them carried compatible signs and in line with the theory. Promoting these crops can contribute to labour absorption.

Unconditional factor demands and supply response for livestock products: A farm-level analysis of the Southern Rangelands of Kenya

This paper evaluates output supply and input factor demands for livestock products in the Southern rangelands of Kenya. A flexible translog profit function that permits the application of the primal approach to the output supply and factor demand analysis was estimated using household-level data. The results indicate that the own-price elasticities of supply for cattle, sheep and goats were all positive. The own-price elasticities for the supply of sheep and goat products were elastic, while the own-price elasticities for the supply of cattle products wasinelastic. Cross-price and scale elasticities were found to be within the inelastic range in all cases, with goat production complementing both cattle and sheep production. All factor input demand elasticities for cattle, sheep and goats had the expected negative sign and were inelastic. These results offer a valuable opportunity for the development of pro-pastoral price policies that reduce factor market imperfections and thus enhance livestock productivity in the rangelands of Kenya.

Output response at the farm level: Maize supply and input demand in Kaduna State, Nigeria

The degree of responsiveness of agricultural supply to input either in the short or long-term production decision is crucial in understanding the role of price and non-price factors in increasing supply. This study analysed output supply and input demand of maize production using a farm survey data of 600 randomly selected maize farmers from all agricultural zones in Kaduna State of Nigeria. Data were analysed using a modified Nerlovian model and set of input demand equations. The results showed that in all estimates (yield and hectarage) long run estimates are greater than the short run values and both were inelastic. The elasticity for lagged own price of maize was 0.23% in the short run and 0.17% in the long run were positive, marginal and inelastic. The hectarage elasticity of supply response for maize is 1.04 in the short run and 0.78 in the long run. The result of the input demand equations showed that the coefficients cost of agrochemical and farm size statistically affect seed, fertilizer and labour demand. The study portrayed that the most critical issues in maize supply are the lack of improved production technology, poor capital investment, land unavailability or poor land tenure system and poor policy incentives. The study recommends that, there is a need for State policy on agricultural research and extension, and adequate input price policies. The government is advised to dissolve the agricultural extension service system to local governments. This will allow agricultural extension system to be more location specific.

The Role of Peat-Free Organic Substrates in the Sustainable Management of Soilless Cultivations

Vegetable and ornamental crops require high input demand to adequately support their standard commercial quality and yield. For these crops, a very high level of agronomic use efficiency of many productive factors can be achieved in soilless culture. For example, the benefits derived from the adoption of soilless closed loops for the recirculation of the nutrient solution are well known as a benchmark of excellence for nutrient and water use efficiency. The challenges that we now face are as follows: (i) making soilless systems more inclusive of sustainable and eco-friendly growing substrates, possibly available at a local level; (ii) replacing chemicals with more sustainable products (e.g., organic active compounds) as much as possible for plant nutrition and protection. These goals can be addressed by following different approaches, but the adoption of peat-free organic substrates may play a central role. This work investigates four organic materials, i.e., biochar, coir, green compost, and wood fibers, to assess their role in plant nutrition and protection when used as components for the preparation of growing media in the soilless cultivation of containerized crops. In further detail, the work highlights how these materials may support normal agronomic practices.

ANALISIS BEBAN KERJA BAGIAN PRODUKSI DENGAN METODE DEFENCE RESEARCH AGENCY WORKLOAD SCALE (DRAWS) DAN MODIFIED COOPER HARPER (MCH) DI PT. SENDANG BIRU TUBAN

PT. Sendang Biru adalah perusahaan manufaktur penghasil bahan campuran pupuk salah satunya adalah clay. Dengan target produksi 100 ton tiap harinya dengan jam kerja hamper 24 jam dengan sistem kerja shift dan menggunakan alat produksi yang sama mengakibatkan sering terjadinya trouble mesin sehingga proses produksi terhambar dan terjadilah kerja lembur, selain hal tersebut beban kerja juga hal utama yang perlu diperhatikan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode Defence Research Agency Workload Scale (DRAWS) dan Modified Cooper Harper (MCH) untuk mengukur beban kerja. Dimana pengukuran beban kerja secara umum menggunakan metode DRAWS akan dianalisis lebih lanjut penyebab terjadinya beban kerja dengan metode MCH. Didapatkan perbandingan beban kerja yang berbeda-beda setiap shiftnya yaitu shift 1 60,47%, shift 2 64,61% dan shift 3 70,32% (Overload) dan memiliki 6 aktivitas yang overload. Dengan variabel Input Demand tertinggi penyebab adanya beban kerja dan tergolong dalam beban kerja fisik (shift 1), Time Pressure sebagai beban kerja mental (shift 2),dan Time Pressure sebagai beban kerja mental (shift 3) .

The theory of value and distribution and the problem of capital

The paper identifies as the root of the recent controversy in the theory of capital David Ricardo's finding that competitive prices and costs of production depend not only on the methods of production employed, but also on the wage rate (or rate of profits) and change with it. A consequence of this result, whose systematic elaboration we owe to Piero Sraffa, is that systems of production cannot generally be ordered monotonically with the rate of profits. Reswitching, capital reversing, price and quantity Wicksell effects, etc., are all rooted in this fact. It is argued that the rate of profits is not determined by the marginal productivity of capital and that the equality between the two in equilibrium must not be misinterpreted as implying a causal relationship leading from the latter to the former. Attempts to assess the empirical probability of reswitching, etc., in terms of input–output tables ought to be received with many reservations for both theoretical and data-related reasons. It is further argued that problems for marginalist theory already arise in a zero-profit framework, in which compound interest effects are ruled out. Hence the seemingly unobtrusive ‘laws’ of input demand and output supply are a much less reliable basis to stand on than is conventionally thought. The paper concludes with some remarks on the implications of the findings in the controversy for Keynes's theory of investment.

ANALISIS RESPON PENAWARAN KOMODITI KEDELAI DI KABUPATEN TANJAB TIMUR

This study aims (1) to assess the factors of production and their effects on soybean production, and to investigate the ability of input levels, such as area and others to explain the response of production; and (2). assess the response of farmer supply to input prices, receipt of gross expectations, from related variables, and other exogenous variables. This research was conducted in 2017 in East Tanjab Regency. The method of analysis in its application is sorted based on the research objectives namely the Empirical Model of the Response Response Function. From the research, the results obtained from the soybean supply response model are strongly influenced by many factors. Among internal and external factors such as soybean prices, use of inputs, and seasons, which are quite relevant where soybean production increases because soybean prices increase. It also added that soybean production decreases when the input variables used are not in accordance with the provisions. As expected it was also found that the harvested area was also a significant determinant of crops. Furthermore it was found that soybean production increased during the rainy season. This finding is consistent with the fact that water availability is an important factor for soybean plants. The analysis also explained that soybean farmers in tidal land in the study area responded to the change in the use of efficient inputs. Supply of output is a response to soybean production. On input requests, many are sensitive to the use of labor, maintenance / harvesting labor. The elasticity of production obtained complements the part of the data base needed to evaluate the policy implications of using alternative inputs from soybean supply and input demand. Keywords: soybean, production, function