Cereal Sector Research Articles

Assessing Economic Sustainability in Gujarat’s Cereal Sector: Trends in Costs, Prices, and MSP (2001 – 2022)

The data highlights the changes in MSP over the years for each cereal. It's evident that MSPs have generally increased over time, although the rates of increase vary among different crops and years. The correlation analysis provides valuable insights into the relationships between MSP, wholesale prices, farm harvest prices, and the cost of production. Strong positive correlations between these variables indicate significant interdependence within the agricultural market. Notable changes in increasing order in MSP (Minimum support price) was seen over years in all cereals. Years with negative values in excess of actual MSP over COP (Cost of Production) suggested farmers were not able to cover even COP and years with positive values suggested farmers were in profitable margin after covering COP. Cost and prices of all the selected cereals were having high correlation between MSP, WP (Wholesale Price), FHP (Farm Harvest Price), COP (C2) and COP (A2 + FL (Family Labour). Highest growth rate amongst the particulars was seen for MSP in pearl millet and lowest for COP (A2 + FL) in pearl millet. More variability was seen in MSP for pearl millet and low variability was seen in MSP for Wheat. Overall, analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the agricultural landscape in Gujarat state.

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The article examines the specifics of product positioning for processing enterprises within the agro-industrial complex (AIC), particularly in the flour and cereal industry. It is demonstrated that the flour and cereal sector holds significant export potential and operates under favorable conditions for sustainable functioning and effective development. Key challenges faced by producers are identified, including the low potential for product differentiation and the monopolized market structure that limits competition. The importance of creating a unique product image in the minds of consumers to enhance competitiveness is substantiated. A multi-attribute model is proposed for analyzing points of parity and differentiation, enabling the formation of a unique selling proposition and supporting informed marketing decisions.

‘The first rearguard battle’: an analysis of the autarkic (re)planning for Spanish grain agriculture, 1937–1959

ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the process of reordering and intensification associated with the Spanish cereal sector, which began in 1937 under Franco's regime. Considering the process as a practice of design and spatial re-planning of the territory, the first stage focuses on the reordering of the sector through an intense state interventionism in the processes of production, distribution, and consumption of cereals. The second stage, framed in a context of significant economic development in the country encouraged by the international context, focuses on the adoption of multiple measures for the intensification of production. Approached from an anthropic perspective of instrumentalisation of the natural environment, this process would lead to the reconfiguration of the structure of operations and to the alteration of part of the biophysical and sociocultural components of the sector.

Energy footprint of the agriculture sector of Morocco

The agriculture sector is today the pillar of Moroccan economic growth as it provides around 38% of employment. Today following the modernization of Moroccan agriculture, the increase in energy demand has experienced a large flow of growth while almost all of the country’s energy, coming from fossil sources, is imported. Being one of the vital sectors for society, we analyzed its energy footprint from 2014 to 2021. The results showed that the energies used in the agricultural sector are electricity from coal-fired thermal power plants and diesel/ butane from petroleum. The change in the energy footprint was more than 29% for the study period. Crop production has the largest energy footprint with the cereal sector leading the way while poultry farms have the smallest footprint. The most serious environmental impact is observed at the level of farms using electricity produced from coal, while the cereal sector has more impact on resources. The practice of energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies prove led to a diminution of environmental impact and energy footprint of agriculture sector

Use of Agro-Industrial Waste from The Cereal Sector to Obtain Cellulose

Use of Agro-Industrial Waste from The Cereal Sector to Obtain Cellulose

The impact of CAP subsidies on the productivity of cereal farms in six European countries: A historical perspective (2008–2018)

Productivity is an always-hotly-debated issue within the EU agricultural policymaking, particularly concerning the effect of subsidies distributed via the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The cereal sector is under particular political scrutiny nowadays, with the Ukraine conflict and environmental issues menacing food security levels for both developing and developed countries.Using individual farm data from 2008 to 2018 for France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, we investigate the effects of different subsidies on the cereal farms’ productivity, accounting for the intrinsic farms’ productivity levels (low, medium and high productive farms). The System-GMM estimator, combined with Inverse Mills Ratios, is applied within a three-step strategy to overcome endogeneity problems. Results highlight how CAP subsidies affect farms’ Total Factor Productivity (TFP), and to what extent they differ according to the nature of the subsidy, the country, and, interestingly, the intrinsic farm’s productivity level. The analysis reveals that TFP embeds an autoregressive behaviour that should always be accounted for when assessing the relationship with subsidies. Most of the CAP subsidies entail a negative-to-unsignificant effect on TFP, except for agri-environmental subsidies, which can increase farms’ productivity. Interestingly, the negative role of direct payments seems more recurrent in the low productive farms, accelerating their exit from the market.

Matching ecological transition and food security in the cereal sector: The role of farmers' preferences on production contracts

IntroductionUnder an increasing demand from citizen and public institutions, agri-food supply chains are requested to comply with stringent environmental requirements. Moreover, new sources of uncertainty related to pandemic and geo-political turbulences put further pressures on economic agents, calling for proper and resilient governance mechanisms. Under the lens of the Neo Institutional Economics, we focus on production contracts and their clauses which, in turn, perform different functions and contribute to allocate property and decision rights, in the attempt to conciliate sustainability and food security.MethodsIn this framework, contract design assumes a key importance. Thus, we analyze farmers' preferences for different contractual clauses in the cereal sector. A choice experiment is carried out among durum wheat producers in Italy and mixed logit estimations assuming heterogeneous preferences are performed.Results and discussionFindings provide interesting indications, revealing a strong farmers' willingness to adhere production contracts in exchange for price stability and knowledge transfer offered by technical assistance services. However, producers are not available to limit their decisional autonomy in unilateral agreement with buyers and they reveal a certain indifference to costly production techniques aimed to improve environmental sustainability.

Mitigating the Effect of Climate Change within the Cereal Sector: Improving Rheological and Baking Properties of Strong Gluten Wheat Doughs by Blending with Specialty Grains.

Due to the effect of climate change, wheat flour qualities with extremely high dough extensibility or dough strength are becoming more common, which impairs the production of selected wheat products such as pastries. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sorghum, millet, amaranth, or buckwheat addition to such a strong gluten common wheat flour (Triticum aestivum) on its rheological and baking properties. Raw materials were analyzed chemically (ash, protein, fat, starch, total dietary fiber) and physically (water absorption index, water solubility index, and pasting properties). Selected rheological analyses (Farinograph® and Extensograph®) were carried out on wheat blends, including up to 30% alternative grains. The baking properties of the blends were evaluated on standard bread and sweet milk bread recipes. Results showed that low amounts (5%) of sorghum and millet improved the dough stability of the high-gluten wheat flour. For optimum dough extensibility, additions of 30% sorghum, 15% millet, or 20% amaranth were needed. The use of gluten-free grains increased bread volume and decreased crumb firmness of the sweet milk breads when added at lower levels (5-15%, depending on the grain). In conclusion, cereal blending is a supportive tool to mitigate the effects of ongoing climate change and can enhance biodiversity and nutrition.

Measuring Technical Efficiency for Closuring Yield Gap and Improving Water Productivity of the Irrigated Durum Wheat in Tunisia

In Tunisia, the development of the irrigated cereal sector plays a key role in the mitigation of the fluctuation of the rainfed production and to ensure a minimum of production. However, the archived yields remain under the expected potential performance, and the water productivity is very low. Hence, this work aims to investigate the performance of the irrigated durum wheat activity and to identify eventual determinants to improve the water productivity. To reach the objective, a field survey was carried out with a sample of 555 farmers. We adopted a data envelopment analysis approach to assess the technical efficiency and water use efficiency. A Tobit model was estimated to identify determinants of the technical performance. The results showed that the technical efficiency reached only 63%, which meant that farmers could increase the durum wheat yield from 3.5 tha−1 to 4.8 tha−1. The water use efficiency reached only 30%, which translates to an unwise use of the water resource. The results also showed an eventual improvement of the water productivity by more importantly saving the irrigation water rather than optimizing the production. To improve the performances, the results revealed some key determinants that could be taken into account by policy makers to implement appropriate strategies.

Effet de l’application du fongicide sur la productivité de l’eau du blé tendre

En Tunisie, le secteur céréalier joue un rôle socio-économique important. Le présent travail est réalisé dans l’objectif d’étudier l’effet d’un fongicide sur l’efficience de l’utilisation de l’eau des anciennes variétés et des nouvelles obtentions de blé tendre. Les composantes finales du rendement ainsi que les efficiences de l’utilisation de l’eau des anciennes et nouvelles variétés ont été statistiquement analysées à la fin de la compagne expérimentale. Les résultats ont montré que les variétés Kodss et Maktarus ont présenté des performances meilleures même en absence du traitement fongicide. Ceci confirme leurs capacités de résistance à la rouille jaune la plus dévastatrice de la culture du blé tendre. Néanmoins, le fongicide utilisé (ogame) a prouvé son efficacité à protéger les cultures contre les stress biotiques et à améliorer les rendements et la qualité de la production. Ainsi, il est recommandé d’éviter les traitements fongiques sur les nouvelles variétés.

Total trade, cereals trade and undernourishment: new empirical evidence for developing countries

While trade policies are considered strategic to shape national food systems and promote food security, the ultimate impact of trade openness on hunger is still highly debated. Using a sample of 81 developing over the period 2001–2016 and principally focusing on the prevalence of undernourishment, this study provides new empirical evidence. Firstly, it estimates the impact of total trade differentiating the effects that pass through changes in real per capita income—i.e. on the economic access to food—from the residual effects that it directly has on the other dimensions of food security. Subsequently, it concentrates on cereals trade, that usually is the most affected by trade restrictions and the most correlated to undernourishment. Finally, it explores the different effects of cereals trade in terms of imports and exports. Three main conclusions emerge: (a) trade openness contributes to lower the prevalence of undernourishment in developing countries and most of this effect is not income-mediated but, rather, passes through the impacts that it directly has on the other dimensions of food security; (b) such impacts are mostly driven by the trade openness of the cereals sector where (c) its import component turns out to play the main role.

Food Losses in Consumer Cereal Production in Poland in the Context of Food Security and Environmental Impact

Food loss is a serious global problem, particularly in developed countries; in the European Union, approximately 20% of the food produced each year is wasted. Food losses occur in the entire agri-food chain, starting from primary production, through post-harvest operations and storage, processing, distribution and consumption. The paper presents the results of studies on the evaluation of food losses at the stage of primary production (agricultural production) of consumer cereals in Poland in the context of their impact on the environment and ensuring food security. It was shown that the amount of food losses in the first link of the agri-food chain in the cereal sector in 2017–2018 was on average 219.6 thousand tonnes per year. The level of losses per farm averaged 0.91 tonnes, which accounted for 1.7% of total production. The weight of consumer grain waste at the primary production stage, calculated on the basis of the results of food losses and taking into account the grain management methods, amounted to an average of 117.24 thousand tonnes/year, which accounted for 23.08% of all food waste generated at the primary production stage. By relating the amount of food losses in the primary production of consumer cereals in Poland to the assumed emission factor, it was calculated that food losses at the stage of production of consumer cereals during a year are responsible for the emission of 0.608 million tonnes of CO2.

Finding the right price: supply chain contracts as a tool to guarantee sustainable economic viability of organic farms

The aim of this study is to analyse the volatility of agricultural commodity prices and assess the effectiveness of supply chain contracts as possible tools to prevent it. The study refers to the cereal sector, which is of vital importance for the agri-food system of the Mediterranean area. Since Italy is the world’s largest producer of durum wheat semolina, the proper functioning of the Italian durum wheat supply chain is central to this investigation. The study was conducted following two different paths of analysis: (1) the calculation of volatility indices using annual and monthly data of durum wheat prices, both organic and industrial, observed in the Bologna Commodity Exchange (AGER); (2) the analysis of two organic durum wheat supply chain contracts, defined by a cooperative involving hundreds of Italian farms mainly from the Marche region and by an agricultural consortium operating in the Adriatic regions. Despite the limited number of cases examined, the present study shows how supply chain contracts can be valid tools for building stable relationships between the various players, from production to processing and distribution, guaranteeing farms fairer and more remunerative raw material purchase prices and higher quality standards.

Spatiotemporal analysis of rainfed cereal yields across the eastern high plateaus of Algeria: an exploratory investigation of the effects of weather factors

In this study, the climatic determinants of cereal yield differentials in the eastern high plateaus of Algeria were explored and analyzed. Using panel data for five regions from the period 2000–2016, we analyzed the relationships between crop yield and two climatic variables (temperature and precipitation) for three major Algerian rainfed cereals: durum wheat, common wheat, and barley. The Mann–Kendall test was applied to assess the significance and magnitude of yield trends, and pooled OLS regression was employed to analyze the determinants of the variability in cereal yields. Results showed that the rainfed cereal yields in this zone are highly variable; that the minimum temperature and average annual precipitation strongly influence cereal yield differentials, with an observed cumulative (lagged) effect; and that the maximum temperature has no direct (or lagged) effect (i.e., its effect on the yield is not statistically significant). The findings of this study also suggest that, despite significant regional differences in semiarid environments, advances in the production technology used in cereal farming have had consistent effects on the yield stability—increasing yields of common wheat but barely influencing yields of durum wheat and barley. These are important findings for the rainfed cereal sector of Algerian dryland agriculture, as they permit a better understanding of the impacts of climate change on Algerian agriculture.

How Can Cereal Items Boost Both Their Health Quality and Sustainability (Review Study)?

More sustainable cereal sector will conserve the agriculture (sustainable agriculture) and promoting wellbeing (physiological sustainability) at a quality appropriate to customers, regardless of their Social status (Sustainability Socio-economic). May increase the safety quality of cereal products A more integrative approach focused on reverse engineering, in the cereal market. Overall, full-grain products must be developed which contain less sugar, fat and salt. Hence the first key. The aim is to better understand the acceptance by consumers of these new, higher-nutritional cereal products value. Then there must be levers and locks at the technological, agrarian and genetic selection levels recognized. Latest reviews of literature and Committee reports stressed the value of maintaining structure of cereal foods by less extreme hydrothermal and mechanical processes, and increased use of prefermentation and/or preserva. Results of a analysis of human action required to fill the gap between observational and mechanical / animal studies, notably in reaching a conclusion on the health-promoting potential of whole grain antioxidants made from cereals.

Analysis of Trade Competitiveness of Pakistan Cereal Products in Global Perspective

The present study has measured the cereal export competitiveness of Pakistan in global economy by utilizing different indices of Revealed comparative advantage (RCA): Balassa index (RCA), Vollrath index (RCA#), Revealed symmetric comparative advantage index (RSCA), Revealed import advantage index (RMA), Revealed trade advantage index (RTA) and Net export index (NEI). The data have been obtained from the International Trade Center UN-COMTRADE Statistics for cereal exports of Pakistan from 2003-2018. The findings of the analysis illustrate that Pakistan had a comparative and competitive advantage in the cereal sector. Further, the findings of the RTA index show that Pakistan’s cereal exports had also a net comparative advantage. Based on current findings, Pakistan needs to concentrate on production and exports of cereals. The brand name marketing of Pakistani rice with a special focus on better quality and improved market access can enhance the country’s share of the cereal sector in the global market.

Srednjoročni razvoj tržišta žitarica u Republici Hrvatskoj– rezultati modela parcijalne ravnoteže

The aim of the paper is to simulate the future development of the Croatian cereals market using the method of AGEMEMOD partial equilibrium model. The results present the historical (2010-2016) and projected development (2016-2030) of the production and trade in wheat, corn, barley, oats and rye markets. Simulation results show an increase in productivity per hectare and surface stability with the exception of individual culture. Wheat production in the projection period, same as corn, recorded a production increase and change in the trade balance. Croatia remains a net exporter of corn and wheat. For barley, as a third important cereal, the model results show a constant level of production by 2030, but also a positive foreign trade balance til the end of the projection period. Oats and rye, as less significant grains, still retain the status of imported products at the Croatian market. Domestic prices follow the EU prices trends, but will generally remain at a lower level than the average EU price. Despite the price competitiveness in the EU market, the domestic cereal sector is facing problems. In the domestic cereal sector there is a trend of relatively cheap grain export on common market, with expensive final products and processed products import.

Technical potential and geographic distribution of agricultural residues, co-products and by-products in the European Union

Value waste chain generates a significant amount of different agricultural wastes, co-products and by-products (AWCB) that occur during three major stages of a complex path, from farm to fork. This paper presents stages where and how waste occurs along the path from the ground to the table for a period of 7 years, from 2010 to 2016 in the 28 member countries of the European Union (EU28). Considering the specific conditions of the EU28 community, four different sectors with 26 commodities and waste types that occur in those sectors were analysed: 5 commodities in the Fruit sector, 10 commodities in the Vegetable sector, 7 commodities in the Cereal sector and 4 commodities in the Animal sector. The analysis consists of three stages of waste appearance: production (harvesting, farming), processing and consumption (raw, uncooked food). Production data were taken from Eurostat, import and export data were taken from FAOSTAT. Methodology and calculations consist of relations between specific values. Those specific values for every commodity are the production data, import and export data, and consumption of raw food by the inhabitants of a country. Total consumption of raw food by inhabitant is calculated from the specific consumption per capita and population. The results of the study showed that from 2010 to 2016 in the EU28 the estimated quantity of the AWCB appeared to be around 18.4 billion tonnes, with the sector percentages as follows: Animal ~31%, Vegetable ~44%, Cereal ~22% and Fruit ~2%. In the Animal sector, the most dominant were developed countries, with high population density and high level of industrialisation. The Cereal, Fruit and Vegetable sectors have shown to generate higher AWCB quantities in the countries with more available land area and appropriate climate conditions.

Occurrence of Furosine and Hydroxymethylfurfural in Breakfast Cereals. Evolution of the Spanish Market from 2006 to 2018.

The demand for healthier products has led the breakfast cereal sector to develop new formulations to improve the nutritional profile of breakfast cereals; however, the increase in chemical risks should also be evaluated. Amadori compounds and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) are Maillard reaction products applied as heat damage indices in breakfast cereals. Furosine (a synthetic amino acid formed by acid hydrolysis of Amadori compounds) is linked to the loss of protein quality, while HMF has exhibited toxicological effects in cells and animals. Furosine and HMF content was evaluated in Spanish breakfast cereals whereas the effect of protein, fibre, and sugar content, the type of grain, the presence of honey, and the manufacturing process were discussed, as well as compared with a previous prospective study. The average furosine and HMF contents were 182 mg/kg and 21.7 mg/kg, respectively. Protein and fibre content were directly related to the furosine content, whereas sugar level, honey addition, and the manufacturing process affected the content of HMF. Occurrence of furosine and HMF decreased nearly 40% in a decade (2006–2018). These findings are relevant in terms of nutritional score, since lysine availability is preserved, but also from a toxicological point of view, due to the decreased daily exposure to both compounds, which dropped 30%.

Energy and nutrient production in Ethiopia, 2011-2015: Implications to supporting healthy diets and food systems.

Agricultural sector plays a key role towards achieving healthier diets that are deemed critical for improving health and nutritional outcomes. To what extent the current food supply systems support healthy diets remains unknown. Using annual and nationally representative data on crop and livestock production in Ethiopia, we assess the national agricultural sector from a nutrition lens and its role in supporting healthy diets in the country. We do so by converting the agricultural production into energy and nutrients for the period of 2011–2015. These data show that the national food production has increased dramatically over the 5-year period to supply more than 3,000 calories per capita in 2015. Moreover, nutrient production gaps have substantially decreased (2011–15), but deficits in energy (5%), vitamin C (16%), and calcium (9%) production remained in 2015. However, this production growth–coming primarily from the cereal sector and at the expense of other food groups–led to a decrease in production diversity as reflected by a drop in the Shannon index between 2011 and 2015. Together these findings imply that the production increases in Ethiopia would need to be sustained to feed the rapidly growing population but more emphasis should be given to diversification to support healthy and nutritionally diversified diets.