Low Market Prices Research Articles

Economics of chemical and non-chemical approaches for induction of early flowering in mango cv. Alphonso

Mango cv. Alphonso is established on more than 90 per cent of area in Konkan region of Maharashtra. Early flowering is for early harvest which assures premium rate in market. In recent years climatic aberrations such as delayed rains especially during initiation of flowering badly affected the performance of Alphonso. The delayed flowering further delay fruit development and harvesting. The late harvested fruits often trapped in early rains and fetches low market price. An attempt was made to estimate benefit ratio and net returns of various non-chemical approaches for mango cv. Alphonso in relation to early induction of flowering which lead to early harvesting to earn lucrative market price. The experiment entitled “Economics of chemical and non-chemical approaches for induction of early flowering in mango cv. Alphonso” which was conducted at college of Horticulture, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli during the year 2018-19 and 2019-20. Experiment was laid out in randomized block design with seven treatments viz., T1- removal of new shoots, T2- removal of old shoots below new, T3- foliar spray of paclobutrazol @ 500 ppm, T4- foliar spray of paclobutrazol @ 1000 ppm, T5- foliar spray of ortho-phosphoric acid @ 0.5 %, T6- foliar spray of ortho-phosphoric acid @ 1 % and T7- control which were replicated at thrice. From the pooled analysis, early induction of flowering was rapid in T1(35.83 days) and had maximum yield (6.19 t/ha), higher gross return (Rs.309657), maximum net profit (Rs.217781.70) and highest B:C ratio (3.37) which was followed by T2 (3.34), T3 (2.99) and T4 (2.75). The minimum yield (2.90 t/ha), gross return (Rs. 124860), minimum net profit (Rs. 65509.20)with minimum B:C ratio were found in control.

Growth Performance of Groundnut in Ananthapuramu District of Andhra Pradesh – A Temporal Analysis

Ananthapuramu district is considered as one of the major groundnut growing districts in the Andhra Pradesh state, with an average area, production and yield of 7.04 lakh hectares, 3.65 lakh tonnes and 512 kg ha-1 respectively, during the present millennium (from 2000-01 to 2018-19). Though the district is drought prone and majority of the cultivated area is under rainfed ecosystem, groundnut still continues to be one of the largest cropped area in the district. This interesting feature of the district has driven to take up the study on the performance of groundnut in the district through Compound Annual Growth Rates (CAGR) and decomposition analysis. CAGR of area, production and yield of the groundnut and decomposition analysis of groundnut production in the district were analyzed from 1970-71 to 2018-19. For lucidity, the study period was divided in three sub-periods viz., Period I (1970-71 to 1985-86), Period II (1986-87 to 1999-2000) and Period III (1999-2000 to 2018-19). It was evident from the results that, the growth performance of groundnut in Ananthapuramu district declined over the years, particularly in Period III, which implies that, despite lot of efforts from researchers and government to encourage groundnut production at macro level, the contribution of groundnut at district level showed a declining trend. This scenario could be attributed to low farm level yields with higher farm level inefficiencies, gaps in production technology, geographical location of the district under rain shadow region, declining scenario in the length of growing period, shift towards competing crops, poor post-harvest support, changing climate, lower yields, low extension contact at field level, low market prices and high abiotic and abiotic stresses. It was opined that, groundnut cultivation in the district should be encouraged with the partnership of private institutional players, where the farmers would get high quality seed, agro-advisory, post-harvest support, value addition support, remunerative and assured price support etc., encouragement of value addition, reduction of the length of market channels to reduce the supply gap between farmer and consumer would help in realignment of the growth performance of groundnut in the district.

Economic feasibility of a sustainable production forest management system in Xaibouathong forest management area, Khammouan province, Lao PDR

Sustainable Production Forest Management is a priority forest policy in Laos in which forest management plans need to be produced for each Production Forest Area (PFA). The forest management plan is very important for the sustainable use of forest resources in a PFA. It determines harvesting rotation cycles, annually allowed sustainable cuts of timber for each compartment, and identifies areas for conservation, restoration and rehabilitation in each PFA. This study examines the economic feasibility of the implementation of forest management operations in Xaibouathong Forest Management Area (FMA) in Khammouan Province with a 15-year cutting cycle. Data and information on Government cost norms, fees, and timber prices associated with the development and implementation of forest management plans, volumes and timber species harvested from three sub-forest management areas (Sivilai, Kengchone, and Phakong) of Xaibouathong FMA were collected and analyzed by using benefit-cost analysis. The results of this study showed that the current production forest management operation in Xaibouathong FMA is not economically feasible. Most of the sub-forest management areas costs outweigh its benefits because most of commercial tree species harvested in the three Sub-FMAs are lesser use species with low market price. Further study is needed to identify the real costs associated with the development and implementation of forest management plans when the Government permits logging operations in other production forest areas.

Problem confrontation of sugarcane farmers in Natore district of Bangladesh

The present study was conducted to explore the problems of sugarcane farmers in the selected areas of Natore district in Bangladesh. A total of 100 farmers were selected from Lalpur upazila of Natore district by using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected through individual interviews during October to November, 2019 by using a structured interview schedule. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. The majority of the sugarcane farmers (80%) had medium problems in sugarcane cultivation. Among twenty problems, difficulty in getting sugarcane setts was identified as the most critical one, followed by low market price of sugarcane. The least important problem faced by the farmers was lack of labour for sugarcane cultivation. Correlation analysis revealed that credit received, input availability, and extension media contact were significantly associated with the problems of sugarcane farmers. The study indicated some opportunities for the policymakers to address the dominant factors i.e. credit received, input availability, and extension media contact for increasing sugarcane production. Moreover, credit facilities, supply of inputs, proper training and access to extension services could play a vital role in lessening problems in sugarcane cultivation.
 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 11(1): 101-108, June 2021

Effects of carbon concentration, oxygen, and controlled pH on the engineering strain Lactiplantibacillus casei E1 in the production of bioethanol from sugarcane molasses

Sugarcane molasses are considered a potential source for bioethanol’s commercial production because of its availability and low market price. It contains high concentrations of fermentable sugars that can be directly metabolized by microbial fermentation. Heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria, especially Lactiplantibacillus casei, have a high potential to be a biocatalyst in ethanol production that they are characterized by strong abilities of carbohydrate metabolism, ethanol synthesis, and high alcohol tolerance. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of producing ethanol by Lactiplantibacillus casei used the ethanologen engineering strain L. casei E1 as a starter culture and cane molasses as substrate medium. The effects of environmental factors on the metabolism of L. casei E1 were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system, and the gene expression of key enzymes in carbon source metabolism was detected using quantitative real-time PCR (RT–qPCR). Results showed that the strain could grow well, ferment sugar quickly in cane molasses. By fermenting this bacterium anaerobically at 37 °C for 36 h incubation in 5 °BX molasses when the fermenter’s pH was controlled at 6.0, ethanol yield reached 13.77 g/L, and carbohydrate utilization percentage was 78.60%. RT-qPCR results verified the strain preferentially ferment glucose and fructose of molasses to ethanol at the molecular level. In addition, the metabolism of sugars, especially fructose, would be inhibited by elevating acidity. Our findings support the theoretical basis for exploring Lactic acid bacteria as a starter culture for converting sugarcane molasses into ethanol.

Assessing Smallholder Farmer's Participation in the Wheat Value Chain in North-West Mt. Kenya

Wheat is the second most important carbohydrate staple in Kenya and is produced by both smallholder and large-scale farmers. Smallholders are the majority, but produce <20% of the total national production. Compared to large-scale farmers, they have been considered to be less efficient producers and thus fail to benefit fully from their participation in the wheat value chain. This study aims at establishing the value accruing to smallholder and large-scale farmers participating in wheat production in north-west Mt. Kenya. For comparative purposes and to explore the potential of smallholder farmers, a sample of 58 smallholder and seven large-scale farmers was selected for the study. We use budget analysis to determine the gross output, cost of production and gross margins attained by the smallholder and large-scale farmers. Further, an analysis of constraints to productivity is done to establish the factors hindering farmers from reaching high yield potential. Results of the study show that smallholder farmers obtain lower yields, have higher costs of production per bag of wheat and lower gross margins compared to large-scale farmers. High cost of inputs, low market prices, low bargaining power, high cost of machinery services, diseases and weeds were among factors excluding smallholder farmers from benefitting from their participation in the value chain. However, results also show that smallholder farmers can produce wheat profitably albeit with necessary support. Thus, interventions should consider these constraints and aim at improving smallholder farmers' horizontal and vertical integration in the value chain. We recommend continued investment in research and development on wheat, adoption of climate resilient agricultural practices, improvements in the fertilizer subsidy programme and creating or increasing participation in producer groups that will provide possibilities of increased bargaining power and reduction of costs through improved access to machinery services, markets and credit.

Supply-Side Practices and Constraints of the Kola Nut (Cola nitida (Vent) Schott. and Endl.) Value Chain in Ghana: A Descriptive Evidence

The use of kola nut, including natural or alternative medicinal sources, has inevitably created an increased global market demand in excess of its production and provides great prospects for the growth of the kola nut industry in producing countries like Ghana. Nonetheless, there is a great dearth of information on Ghana’s kola nut supply-side practices and constraints that can provide a basis for the development of the industry. This study fills the research gap by describing the practices and constraints of farmers, processors, and marketers of kola nut in Ghana. Using a survey methodology, results showed that nearly all (99.5%) farmers interviewed had not received any extension training on agronomic practices. Low market price of nuts (61.5%) and pests and diseases (60.4%) were the most reported constraints to kola nut production. Chiefs among motivating factors for cultivating kola nut were alternative livelihood support (58%). Some processors (28.6%) who rinsed nuts after depulping used a solution of Akate Master (bifenthrin) and others (51.0%) used fumigation tablets (aluminium phosphide) (91.0%) for storing the nuts. However, these chemicals may be dangerous to the health of consumers in the long run. The low selling price of kola nuts was perceived to be the most (74.8%) constraint to kola nut processing and marketing. Respondents noted that the red nuts were preferred for their durability during transportation and longer shelf life, while the white nuts were preferred for their taste. The results suggest the need for further agronomic, postharvest handling, preservation, and storage, as well as breeding research to provide recommendations to farmers and processors. To overcome some marketing challenges, there is a need for policy support to standardize pricing and grading systems for the mutual benefit of all the stakeholders.

Influences of Socio-economic Factors on Lemon Pest Management Practices in Tangail District of Bangladesh

Aims: The main objective of the study was to explore the influences of socio-demographic factors of lemon cultivators on accepting pest management practices.
 Study Design: A total of 120 lemon growers of the Tangail district were selected as samples following the proportionate random sampling technique. Primary data were collected from sampled respondents using a pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire by face-to-face interview.
 Results and Discussion: Findings indicate that majority of the respondents were middle-aged (69.2%), having a secondary level of education (47.5%), small farm size (73.3%), medium family size (57.5%), and medium use of information sources (74.2%). Farmers use chemical, mechanical, and cultural pest management practices, with the majority of respondents had a moderate degree of adoption. Education, annual family income, contact with the source of information, and organizational participation of the respondents showed positive significant relationships with their adoption of pest management practices. High input price, low market price of the product, disease, and pest attack was identified as the major problems faced by the lemon growers.
 Conclusion: Adoption of pest management practices significantly influenced by socio-economic factors of lemon growers. Hence, agricultural extension agents should step forward to work with different groups of farmers for raising their knowledge of integrated pest control and improve expertise in lemon cultivation. Furthermore, the government should take the requisite steps to address issues such as high production costs, low commodity prices, and disease and pest infestation.

Draudimo produktų kainų lyginamoji analizė Lietuvoje

The article identified that while insurance companies offering for their customers the same coverage for the same risk, insurance price gains a high importance. Most of the clients are sensitive to the insurance prices level, however, for the consumers to choose desired insurance product according to its price between different insurance companies is very difficult. Therefore, using research methodology to form regional policy, made in Lithuania market operating insurance companies non-life insurance products prices comparative analysis. This study highlight non-life insurance types, i.e., insurance against accidents (in the same structure and insurance against sickness), transport insurance, property insurance, travel insurance, third party liability insurance rates. It should be emphasized that different types of non-life insurance prices can be influenced by different factors. The Compulsory motor third party liability insurance (further CMTPL) price of the insurance affects the value of the vehicle, first registration, the gender of the vehicle driver, age, place of residence, driving experience, recurrence of insured events, the insurance contract signature period (which is important because insurance companies in this case applies price discounts), the vehicle’s engine power. Insurance against accidences and travel insurance prices are determined by user’s gender, age, work type. Property insurance price depends on the value of the property. In order to be able to compare with each other different insurance companies, operating in Lithuania, insurance prices, was formed for different non-life insurance type’s model and used in all cases in representative Lithuania major city. After systemizing in Lithuania sold non-life insurance product prices observed that in different insurance companies they are significantly different. The most varies vehicle insurance the same insurance types the scale of premiums in different companies. Insurance against accidents prices in different insurance companies can vary up to five times. Collected insurance prices data analysis revealed differences in prices reaching up to 5 times of various insurance products in Lithuania operating different non-life insurance companies. Insurance companies may have several priority insurance products which they are trying to sell in the market for even lower than the lowest market price. At the same time the incurred losses may transfer to the other types of insurance therefore other types of insurance price may be much higher that the competitors in the same market. The most important of insurance proposal is not a price, but risk indemnity insurance amount and refunds. Therefore, once again, it should be mentioned that on the basis of price analyse insurance products offerings appropriate. Very often to compare with each other different companies presented insurance product prices for the average consumer is impossible. For the consumer the content (conditions) and the price structure of the insurance product must be clear, in order that the consumer purchasing insurance would feel calm and safe. It should be noted that the consumer hardly realizing the value of the insurance product, i.e., price, insurance companies require a new approach to pricing strategy formation importance and the same pricing in general. KEYWORDS: non-life insurance products, price, additional insurance conditions. JEL CODES: G 22, E30, L11, Y10 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/rfds.v13i2.824

A three-dimensional dietary index (nutritional quality, environment, and price) and reduced mortality: a prospective study in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra cohort

BackgroundSeveral healthy diet indices have been associated with mortality risk. However, the ideal diet should not only be healthy but also environmentally friendly and affordable. This study aimed to determine if a new Sustainable Diet Index (SDI), which takes into account the nutritional quality, environmental impacts, and market price of diets, was associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. MethodsUsing data from the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra Project, a prospective cohort study of Spanish university graduates, the study included 15 492 participants (median age 34 years, IQR 27–45) recruited between Dec 1, 1999, and March 31, 2014 who were followed-up for a median of 10 years (IQR 7–14). Cox regression was used to determine the relationship of SDI and its components with all-cause and cause-specific mortality risk, where high values of SDI represent high nutritional quality, low environmental impacts, and low market price. Hazard ratios (HRs) with adjustment for several confounders were calculated. The weights for the foods contributing to the SDI were assessed with multiple regression analyses and variability with nested regression analyses. FindingsThe highest quartile of the SDI scores was associated with a 59% relative reduction in all-cause mortality (HR 0·41, 95% CI 0·23–0·75) and a 79% reduction in cardiovascular mortality (0·21, 0·05–0·85). The nutritional index was itself statistically associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality, but not the environmental impact index and the market price. Nevertheless, a diet only focused on the nutritional quality would be less eco-friendly and more expensive than an overall sustainable diet. SDI was positively correlated with beans and potato consumption but negatively correlated with red meat intake. Red and processed meats, fatty dairy products, and fish consumption accounted for most of the variability in the SDI. InterpretationDietary patterns accounting not only for nutritional quality of the food but also the environmental impact and affordability could still provide health benefits. Such sustainable diets are rich in minimally processed plant-based foods and low in some animal-sourced products. FundingThe Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra Project has received funding from the Spanish Government—Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and the European Regional Development Fund (CIBEROBN, PI17/01795).

Impact of cage culture in reservoir on the livelihood of fishers: A case study in Jharkhand, India

Cage fish farming in Indian reservoirs has the potential to enhance the reservoir production manifold. The present study estimated that around 14,000 cages have been installed in different reservoirs of the country which are producing around 16% of the current reservoir fish production. Around 7.5 lakh mandays of labour are being generated by cage fish farming in the country. An empirical study in the state of Jharkhand State found that the adoption of cage culture contributed around 30% to the livelihood of fishers. Cage culture not only increased monthly family income but also reduced the occupational migration. The fishermen households who adopted cage farming also accumulated some durable assets due to improvement in household income. However, high initial cost of cage culture operation, high feed cost and low market price of cultured pangas fish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) were some of the major constraints in adopting the technology as reported by the fishers. The study recommends that the state departments need to promote the use of low cost galvanised iron(GI) cages designed by the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI) in reservoirs which may play a significant role in fulfilling the vision of blue revolution in the country.

Fruit extracts from Phyllanthus emblica accentuate cadmium tolerance and accumulation in Platycladus orientalis: A new natural chelate for phytoextraction.

A key challenge for phytoextraction is the identification of high efficiency, growth-supporting, and low cost chelating agents. To date, no substance has satisfied all above criteria. This study investigated nine traditional Chinese herbs and found that Phyllanthus emblica fruit (FPE) extract could be utilised as an optimal chelate for the phytoextraction of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soils. FPE application into soil at a ratio of 0.1% (w/w) significantly increased extractable Cd (by 43%) compared to the control. The success of FPE as a chelating agent was attributed to high quantities of polyphenol compounds (0.76%) and organic acids (9.6%), in particular, gallic acid (7.6%). Furthermore, antioxidative properties (1.4%) and free amino acids in FPE alleviated Cd-induced oxidant toxicity and enhanced plant biomass. FPE promoted 78% higher phytoextraction efficiency in Platycladus orientalis compared to traditional chelating agents (EDTA). Furthermore, 76% of FPE was degraded 90 days after the initial application, and there was no difference in extractable Cd between the treatment and control. FPE has been commercially produced at a lower market price than other biodegradable chelates. As a commercially available and cost-effective chelator, FPE could be utilised to treat Cd-contaminated soils without adverse environmental impacts.

Do Individual Investors Prefer a Price Range in the Equity Markets?

This article focuses on a wealth-constrained individual investor preference for lower price ranges in the Indian secondary equity market, using stock-split data to gauge the effects of lower price ranges on individual ownership. The hypothesis is that individual investors operate within a price range of choice. The overall findings address three specific contributions. First, the impact of various post-split price (PSP) bands on both individual and institutional investors is assessed. Second, a specific PSP range is estimated that triggers a shift in ownership from institutional investors to individual investors. Third, the article shows the firm-specific characteristics for companies that target lower-priced stocks. <b>TOPICS:</b>Fundamental equity analysis, emerging markets <b>Key Findings</b> ▪ The lowest bands of post split price (PSP) have maximum positive impact on ownership of individual shareholders. ▪ The shift in ownership from institutional investors to individual investors happens at the lowest bands of post split price (PSP). ▪ Companies having lower price-to-book ratios and higher market capitalization target lower market prices (PSP) to attract individual shareholders post split.

Custo de produção de rações alternativas para peixes onívoros no estado do Pará, Amazônia, Brasil

Avaliou-se o custo de produção de ração alternativa para peixes onívoros. As informações sobre ingredientes e preços (varejo) foram obtidas mensalmente de dezembro/2014 a novembro/2015 em Belém, Santa Izabel do Pará, Castanhal, Santa Maria do Pará e Bragança. Posteriormente, foram formuladas rações e calculados os custos pela estrutura de custo operacional. O processamento considerou quatro etapas, desde a “mistura” ao “resfriamento”, e tudo obedeceu a demanda hipotética de piscicultura em viveiro escavado com 0,2 hectares de lâmina d’água. Constatou-se que a maioria dos ingredientes estiveram disponíveis ao longo do ciclo de produção e outros apresentaram sazonalidade. As rações formuladas tiveram de 28 a 45% de proteína bruta e custo de R$ 1,88 a R$ 2,38 por quilo, respectivamente. Houve baixo custo de produção, sugerindo menor preço de mercado se comparado aos preços praticados para rações industrializadas na região.

Price disparity in the net cost and profitability of vegetable products

The prevailing price relations in the industry and the trend of increasing costs for the production of vegetable products lead to an unjustified loss of profit by vegetable producers in market conditions. This occurs as a result of price disparity, which allows increasing the cost of purchasing industrial goods (machinery, fertilizers, protective equipment, etc.) and services (payment for work and services of third-party organizations) to withdraw part of the industry’s revenue. This leads to a decrease in production efficiency and a lack of funds for its extended reproduction. The spread of indicators of profitability of vegetable products by year and type of vegetables indicates that there are significant opportunities to improve the performance of vegetable growing. This will be possible when resolving the issue of price disparity by introducing a permanent system of purchases at announced guarantee prices beforehand. Lower market prices will increase the average selling price of vegetables and the profitability of production, which will be an incentive to increase production. It is necessary to minimize costs aimed at improving the use of productive potential – land, material and labor resources.

Analysis of renewable energy subsidy in China under uncertainty: Feed-in tariff vs. renewable portfolio standard

Environmental pollution, climate warming and other issues have become global issues, and the use of renewable energy as the best way to solve the problem has gradually attracted the attention of all countries. Uncertainty has an important effect on the production of renewable energy. Through a two-stage model, this paper compares the effects of feed-in tariff (FIT) and renewable portfolio standard (RPS) in the developing renewable energy industry under uncertainty. The results show that the FIT have higher expected output and profit, and lower market prices. The risks of production and gain is of relatively more significant. By contrast, the production and profit of RPS remain relatively more stable. When the cost of renewable energy is high, the incentive effect of the policy under FIT is better. As the cost decreases, the incentive effect under RPS will continually increase. In summary, at low cost, the output of renewable energy is proportional to the intensity of the policy under the two policies. We can further conclude that FIT is suitable for the early stage of the development of the renewable energy industry. Once the industry is mature, we can strategically integrate FIT and RPS to ensure a healthy and sustainable development.

Economic and ecological assessment of integrated agricultural bio-energy and conventional agricultural energy frameworks for agriculture sustainability

Abstract Agriculture production cost and production system sustainability are key factors to sustain food production for the growing human race. This study assessed two farming frameworks; Integrated Agricultural Bio-Energy (IAB) and Conventional Agricultural Energy (CAE) with an emphasis on fuel, fertilization, and household energy. The IAB depended on Jatropha biodiesel-petro-diesel blend (JB88) + solar energy + organic fertilizer, while CAE used petrol-diesel + hydro-electric energy + chemical fertilizer. The study was planned in the Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 replications. Analysis of the results revealed that CAE produced the highest maize, soybean, and Andrographis paniculata yields but due to its higher variable production cost and the low market price of inorganic food, the profit gained, and the benefit-cost ratio were lesser. The variable production cost/year of IAB was reduced due to the less fuel cost (66%) and low fuel consumption rate (1.98%) of JB88 compared to the petrol-diesel of CAB. JB88 also recorded high market-priced products that intend to give more profit when compared to CAE. The gaseous emissions of HC (24.42 ppm) and CO (0.03%) of IAB were 30.3% and 95.9%, respectively lesser compared to CAE which emitted 35.03 ppm of HC and 0.74% of CO, respectively. Thus the economic gain, the less harmful gases released, and the known benefits of organic fertilizer used in IAB makes it a more efficient and environmentally friendly framework for a sustainable agriculture production.

Efficiency of fishmeal and fish oil processing of different pelagic fish species: Identification of processing steps for potential optimization toward protein production for human consumption

Most fish meal and fish oil production facilities run with outdated processes, producing low-value products, typically not intended for human consumption. The aim of the study was to perform a detailed analysis of the current fishmeal and oil production processes of capelin (Mallotus villosus), and compare the key locations of both fattier and leaner pelagic raw material to identify which steps need to be improved for the production of higher-value products. Results indicated inefficient draining and concentration during the production process and ineffective break-down of the raw material, as lipid separation was ineffective in all studied species. Although the raw material initially differed in lipid content (2%–20%, depending on the species), all fishmeal produced resulted in high-lipid fishmeal (9%–14%). Chemical composition variations in the solid steams entering the dryers suggested that drying these streams individually could lead to more process and product flexibility, which can result in higher-value products, such as fish meal and protein powders for human consumption. Practical applications Traditional production lines of fishmeal and fish oil factories have remained the same for decades, resulting in low-quality products with a low market price. Therefore, optimization and redesign of the production processes are needed to increase the product quality. This study analyzed the lipid quality and water content in all processing steps. The current evaluations will help to shift the traditional fishmeal and fish oil production process from low-quality to high-quality products intended for human consumption by presenting a detailed analysis of the production process not available in the literature to date. Our results can act as reference values for other fishmeal and fish oil producers to assess their production quality. That includes identification of bottlenecks affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of their production processes.

Prospects and Obstacles for Green Hydrogen Production in Russia

Renewable energy is considered the one of the most promising solutions to meet sustainable development goals in terms of climate change mitigation. Today, we face the problem of further scaling up renewable energy infrastructure, which requires the creation of reliable energy storages, environmentally friendly carriers, like hydrogen, and competitive international markets. These issues provoke the involvement of resource-based countries in the energy transition, which is questionable in terms of economic efficiency, compared to conventional hydrocarbon resources. To shed a light on the possible efficiency of green hydrogen production in such countries, this study is aimed at: (1) comparing key Russian trends of green hydrogen development with global trends, (2) presenting strategic scenarios for the Russian energy sector development, (3) presenting a case study of Russian hydrogen energy project «Dyakov Ust-Srednekanskaya HPP» in Magadan region. We argue that without significant changes in strategic planning and without focus on sustainable solutions support, the further development of Russian power industry will be halted in a conservative scenario with the limited presence of innovative solutions in renewable energy industries. Our case study showed that despite the closeness to Japan hydrogen market, economic efficiency is on the edge of zero, with payback period around 17 years. The decrease in project capacity below 543.6 MW will immediately lead to a negative NPV. The key reason for that is the low average market price of hydrogen ($14/kg), which is only a bit higher than its production cost ($12.5/kg), while transportation requires about $0.96/kg more. Despite the discouraging results, it should be taken into account that such strategic projects are at the edge of energy development. We see them as an opportunity to lead transnational energy trade of green hydrogen, which could be competitive in the medium term, especially with state support.

Determination of the list of basic construction resources for the analysis of prices for the construction of the Lviv stadium for Euro 2012.

Since 2009, Ukraine has gradually introduced requirements for the minimum level of prices for construction resources, which are set on the basis of its own (construction participants) data bank and market analysis. However, the procedure for creating, filling and maintaining such data banks is not regulated, as well as the method of market analysis and the procedure for determining the lowest market price of construction resources. The article considers the sequence of formation of the list of construction resources for inclusion in the data bank during the implementation and launch of the analysis of current prices in the market of construction resources. Organizational, technical and methodological problems and approaches to their solution are highlighted. The example of the construction of the Lviv stadium for Euro 2012 shows the features of the initial data for the formation of a list of resources for inclusion in the bank of price data and the sequence of their completion, the need for which is dictated by the specifics of domestic design and construction. An algorithm for determining the initial list of construction resources is proposed and the sequence of its execution is considered on an example. Methods for reducing the initial list of construction resources by including only those resources that are essential for determining the total market value of construction resources on any structure are proposed. Namely: pricing material resources and resources that represent groups of homogeneous, similar, resources, from the point of view of the supplier, and are in the same price range (representative resources). A universal methodology for determining pricing resources is proposed and an example of its application is given. A universal methodology for determining generalizing resources (representative resources) for similar materials that have different estimate codes, but equal technical and qualitative characteristics and are in the same price range. An example of its application is given. The set of proposed measures and methods allowed to reduce the total number of positions in the source documents from 4580 to 203 basic resources placed in the database of current prices in the market of construction resources during the construction of the Lviv stadium for Euro-2012. The actual number of construction materials for which price analysis was performed amounted to 309 items with a total value of 98% of the total cost of construction materials of the consolidated statement of resources, with a given threshold of 96%. Labor costs at the stage of launching the price analysis decreased by 77.5% or 4.4 times. Labor costs at the stage of market price analysis decreased by 34.3% or 1.5 times. At the same time, the accuracy of calculations remained within the statistical error.