Primary Agricultural Products Research Articles

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the use of urease inhibitors: A farm level analysis

Ireland’s ambitious plan to expand primary agricultural production and its commitment to reduce its non-ETS GHG emissions by 20% compared with 2005 emission levels constitute a considerable challenge for Irish farmers. Nitrous oxide emissions produced as a result of the application of artificial fertiliser accounts for 16% of Ireland’s agricultural GHG emissions (Teagasc, 2017a). The use of urea combined with NBPT has the potential to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture when compared with conventional fertilisers. This paper presents a farm level model which maximizes farm gross margin subject to constraints on production factors (labour, land etc.) as well as agronomic constraints (stocking rate, fertilisers, feed, etc.). The aim of this paper is to compare the farm gross margin of two dairy farm types under a base scenario with the results of five other scenarios which consider varying levels of emissions reduction targets and the potential of urea combined with NBPT as an abatement technology. Results inferred that there is a potential for urea combined with NBPT to offset nitrous oxide emissions from fertiliser application and hence contribute to Ireland’s GHG reduction target.

Time series trends of Landsat-based ET using automated calibration in METRIC and SEBAL: The Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

The Bekaa Valley in Lebanon currently hosts the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. It is also the primary agricultural production area in the country. Groundwater levels in some regions of the valley have decreased by >15 m in the last five years. Water use estimates at the regional and the field scale for this valley are crucial for enhancing resilience and for managing competing sectorial water demands. In this research, we derive a novel time series of field-scale actual evapotranspiration for the Bekaa Valley using two one-source energy balance models for the period 1984–2017, utilizing local weather data and all available original Level 1 Landsat thermal imagery and Level 2 surface reflectance products. We compare a modified METRIC model with an automated hot and cold pixel identification procedure run in batch mode to pySEBAL, a new version of SEBAL, which also has its automated anchors pixel selection algorithm. Analysis of 1200 cloud-masked and gap-filled Landsat-derived ET products show that the two models give comparable water use estimates at the seasonal and annual time steps. We estimate an average annual ET of 652 ± 53 mm (or 800 mcm) over the heavily cultivated valley in the last 34 years (with high agreement between both METRIC and pySEBAL models). Most (64%) of the ET is consumed from blue water in the dry season of May–October. ET in the wet season of November–April consumes >70% of the precipitation in the Bekaa valley. Annual analysis shows no discernable trend in ET across the valley, but there is an increase in irrigated agriculture in the Orontes Basin in the last five years. METRIC yields 15% higher ET than pySEBAL for the non-agricultural lands in summer. A water balance analysis shows that groundwater storage in the Litani basin is decreasing at a rate of 330 ± 50 mm yr−1. The outcome of this research also offers unique opportunities for estimating past and future trends of groundwater withdrawals. Results can provide insights into the sustainability of irrigated agriculture and the required international interventions in the water sector for enhancing the resilience of refugee and local communities.

PLACE AND ROLE OF SUPPLY CHAINS IN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY OF UKRAINE

The purpose of this article is to analyze the agricultural sector of Ukraine and to determine the importance of supply chains for industry efficiency increasing. As a result of the study, the main indicators of the agricultural sector functioning in Ukraine were analyzed. The obtained results make it possible to characterize the burning situation, as well as to develop appropriate proposals for its improvement in the future (taking into account marketing and logistical components). Almost 18% of the able-bodied population of Ukraine were employed in the agriculture sector in 2016. At the same time, the largest share of agricultural enterprises is located in three regions of Ukraine – Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv. It is determined that in 2007-2016 there is a steady increase in agricultural production. It is enough to meet the internal needs of the population and export needs. It is proved that the basis of Ukrainian exports is primary agricultural products (wheat, corn, soybeans). Despite the gradual increase in food exports (by 16% from 2010 to 2016), the share of value-added goods in exports remains low. It indicates Ukraine's specialization as a supplier of raw materials on the world market. Besides, it is found that the share of imports for agriculture needs remains high. Mainly mineral fertilizers, agricultural machines, petroleum products are imported. The reason is that the need for these things is not fully met by domestic producers. Accordingly, it is determined that all the above requires the formation of internal supply chains of agricultural enterprises (they allow to establish relations between structural units) as well as external supply chains (they allow to establish partnerships with counterparties in Ukraine and abroad). It is established that in the supply chains’ formation it is necessary to take into account the main problems of the agricultural sector, in particular, the involvement of new producers of agricultural products in export activities; increasing the share of value-added products in exports; coverage of new markets in foreign countries. The solution to these problems is crucial for the country too. Keywords: agriculture, import, export, supply chain, industry.

AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES OF THE RURAL HOUSEHOLDS OF UKRAINE: ROLE, CONDITION AND PROSPECTS

Abstract Introduction. The lack of consensus among experts on the structure of producers in the agricultural sector necessitates an analysis of the role of rural households in the production. The purpose of the article is to verify the hypothesis of the rural households’ indispensability as agricultural producers. Results. The production structure of crop and livestock in the households in the dynamics is analyzed. Trends in the reduction of milk share were determined produced by households’ farms used for processing by the enterprises. On the basis of the dynamics analysis of the individual crops share in production, a critical dependence of their cultivation in rural households was determined: potatoes, vegetables, fruit and berry crops. The key role of rural households in securing domestic demand and food security is identified due to the economic disadvantage of exports, which is caused by high transaction costs. The dynamics analysis of land area and the heads average age of rural households allows us to determine the absence of «young» labor resources, which, combined with the aging of existing ones, is at risk of providing adequate staff in the future. The dynamics of the rural households’ share keeping animals and their number have been analyzed, which revealed a negative trend in the reduction of both the share and the livestock population. An extensive type of livestock in rural households has been identified, which causes low productivity. The level of agricultural production intensification in the rural household sector has been analyzed according to a number of indicators. For some of them (in terms of fertilizer application, use of locally grown varieties, breeding poultry, artificial insemination of animals and sanitary quality control of milk) the obtained values are extremely unsatisfactory. Conclusions. Meat and dairy farming are currently facing a difficult situation: the reduction in milk production in households is, in absolute terms, greater than the similar increase among farmers, which makes this product deficit. In the domestic deficit market, bans of meat and the primary agricultural products sale will lead to a reduction in supply, price increases and a deterioration in the status of these producers, given the need for such a constraint due to a lack of quality parameters. The solution to this problem lies in the extension of the state program of livestock development directly in rural households. The ways of solving the problem of unsatisfactory logistical support for the production and stocking of livestock products by small organizational forms are offered: agro leasing and organization of cooperative slaughter shops. It is advisable to support rural development in the form of educational activities based on integrated territorial communities. Keywords: rural households, agricultural activity, factors of production, food security, livestock products, extensive type, low quality, social infrastructure, small equipment, cooperative movement.

Hidraulički simboli - deo IV - razvodni ventili

The mechanization of a wide variety of production processes and operations in modern primary agricultural production, transport, storage and the accompanying food processing industry can hardly be accomplished without automation. In most cases, production efficiency and environmental sustainability require, among other things, accurate control of the flow of energy within the installations, work machines, devices and mechanisms used. From the point of view of the theory of automatic control and regulation, the elements of the engaged technique: machines, devices and mechanisms represent the objects of control. The controlled routing and optimal delivery of energy to desired management facilities is, as a rule, very rarely uniform, as it must have correctlyaligned timing with the current variable requirements of the production or operation process, which often change quite unpredictably over the time. The required amount of energy can be transferred to consumers in agriculture through the application of appropriate mechanical, electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic systems, as well as with their combinations. All existing kinds of energy transmission systems have certain advantages and disadvantages, with a common requirement for appropriate controls. In the focus of interest of this paper are the graphic symbols of the directional control valves for hydraulic transmission and control, designated as hydraulic directional control valves, or shorter, the hydraulic distributors.

Analysis of Selected Building Constructions Used in Industrial Construction in Terms of Sustainability Benefits

Enormous development of technology over the past two centuries has been associated with a considerable drawdown of non-renewable raw materials and an increase in the amount of harmful emissions. Thus, building direction in the field of construction implies a significant implementation of sustainability. The preference for environmentally friendly technology solutions is the right way to meet the sustainability trend. The main aim of this study was to analyze and verify selected construction systems of buildings designed for agricultural primary production in terms of their environmental impacts. The supporting construction systems of the comparative design variants was designed from a variety of material bases (concrete, steel, and wood). To evaluate environmental construction systems, the LCA methodology in mode “Cradle to Gate” was used. Parameters of sustainability related to the environmental impact were analyzed. These results could be a useful tool for the evaluation and comparison to an appropriate choice of the design option for an industrial building designed for agricultural primary production in terms of environmental impact.

Agricultural trade pattern and potential in China and Russia

It makes use of the trade complementarity index, trade integration index and export concentration index to conduct an in-depth analysis of trade development process and the import and export structure of agricultural products between China with Russia from 2006 to 2017. The results show that degree of integration of China’s agricultural trade with Russia continues to increase, and its trade structure is highly complementary. At the same time, the types of agricultural trade between them have increased significantly. The trade pattern of agricultural products is dominated by medium- and low-end primary agricultural products in China and Russia. The share of deep-processed agricultural products is relatively small, and the trade structure of agricultural products is monotonous, the bilateral trade potential has not yet been fully realized between China with Russia. Under the background of the “One Belt and One Road” initiative and the construction of China- Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, the trade potential between China and Russia will increase rapidly and the trade space will further expand.

Futures Markets and Farmers Welfare: Are They in Sync?

Commodity derivative markets, are expected to be alternative markets to physical or spot markets where producers including farmers will be able to foresee market prices of the commodities they are about to produce much in advance of the actual production takes place. The recently introduced commodity options trading instruments are expected to provide a further boost to the hedging and risk management capabilities of commodity derivative markets in India, as option contracts, unlike futures contracts, work on the criteria of unlimited gains with limited losses opportunity. Nevertheless, the risks associated with primary agricultural production are long-term in nature and the current system of commodity derivatives trading instruments available in India needs an improvement to address these long-term aspects so that farmers will be able to take advantage of the system.

Regional Value Chains: Exploring Linkages and Opportunities in the Agro-Processing Sector Across Five SADC Countries

This paper evaluates the potential for developing regional value chains in the agro-processing sector across five SADC countries; South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania and Mauritius. Countries in SADC spend a considerable amount on processed food imports, which is expected to grow as incomes rise and rapid urbanization continues. Many economies remain oriented to primary agricultural production and the export of a few cash crops while, overall, there is a trade deficit in food for the continent as a whole. Developing agro-processing value chains is thus at the heart of meeting the growing regional demand for processed food products and to advance industrialisation. Approaching food as an industrialisation question also acknowledges the linked investments required in transport and logistics, research and development, packaging and standards to grow the agro-processing sector and which have positive spill-overs for the rest of the economy. This paper also argues that regional agroprocessing value chains are even more important in the context of climate change which will place greater pressure on food production, with differing impacts across countries. Climate change introduces new levels of uncertainty about what crops can be produced and where these can be produced sustainably. This variability suggests that we need to consider how investments should be made across the region to organise production in a way that anticipates these changes and makes the most sustainable use of endowments and capabilities across countries. A narrow national view of industrialisation ignores the benefits of scale and endowments associated with regional markets that could support mutually beneficial joint industrialisation across SADC.

Barriers to Prosperity - Developing Countries and the Need for Trade Liberalisation

Non-tariff barriers are an important impediment to trade for less developed countries. Such barriers can be very high on both processed and unprocessed agricultural products. These barriers include: EU rules of origin and rules relating to traceability. The combination of these rules with preferential trade agreements which becomes more onerous as the degree of processing increases. Health and safety regulations. Labeling schemes such as fair trade and organic. Environmental standards, such as those relating to palm oil exports. Both export and import procedures imposed by developing countries themselves: for example, exporting in India involves 12 separate processes. Non-tariff barriers need to be brought to the forefront of the trade debate if developing countries are to move into the export of higher value added products. Currently, developing countries have a low share of exports of final processed products which normally have a higher value added than primary agricultural products. For example, developing countries account for 91 per cent of raw coffee exports but only 3 per cent of processed coffee exports. This situation is frequently blamed on developed countries applying trade barriers and escalating tariffs on processed commodities. However, there is little truth in this allegation, at least in relation to the important commodities of coffee, tea and cocoa. However, tariffs barriers do exist in relation to other commodities such as cotton, rice and so on. Not only are tariff barriers close to zero on coffee, tea and cocoa, there is also very little tariff escalation – that is the level of tariffs on processed products is not significantly greater than the level of tariffs on unprocessed products. Japan is the only major exception to this general pattern. On the other hand, tariff barriers between developing countries themselves can be very high. For example, tariffs on roasted coffee are 71 per cent in Mexico and 99 per cent in India. There is, however, little evidence of tariff escalation on trade between developing countries: tariffs are often very high on both processed and unprocessed agricultural products. There may well be important tariff barriers with regard to higher degrees of processing of more complex products (such as chocolate). These are especially prevalent in product lines where there is competition between developed and under-developed countries or where developed countries produce some of the ingredients for these products (for example, milk and sugar for chocolate). Non-tariff barriers are often home grown within developing countries themselves. The experience of trade reform suggests that the benefits from their removal will mainly flow to developing countries. Non-tariff barriers must therefore be a clear priority in future trade policy and in domestic policy making in poor countries.

The antioxidant properties of plant flavonoids: their exploitation by molecular plant breeding

Flavonoids are a large group of plant secondary metabolites that have a high popularity as nutraceuticals. Further, they contribute to food quality, acting as preservatives, pigments and strong antioxidants. Flavonoids also play an important role in plant stress tolerance, with consequent contribution to crop productivity. The enhancement of flavonoid content is an alluring goal that meets the food requirements of an increasing and more demanding world population. After illustrating the relevance of flavonoids for human nutrition, food technology and plant protection, this review covers breeding and molecular strategies used to exploit flavonoid biodiversity present among plant species. Highlighted here are also recent advances in genome sequencing and -omics tools that facilitate the identification of genetic regions influencing flavonoid production in relevant agricultural species. Finally, the review outlines established and new biotechnological techniques which can help to functionalize and use flavonoid genes to improve both the quality and the quantity of these outstanding compounds. The final message of this review is that flavonoids can be an interesting target for molecular plant breeding that can greatly impact both primary agricultural products and food technology.

Kreditiranje poljoprivrede Srbije sa ciljem unapređenja postojećeg stanja

Agriculture is characterized by a number of specifcities (seasonal and organic character, high risks of the production cycle, slow turnover of capital, inability to specialize production and low capacity utilization), due to which it is more demanding in terms of fnancing than other economic activities.Considering that the agriculture is one of the most important branches of the economy, which even in such difficult conditions and circumstances still yields profts, the subject of this work is to discuss the conditions of fnancing both by the state and by commercial banks, without which it is almost impossible to imagine the process of agricultural production. The aim of the paper is to point out the importance of stable and continuous fnancing of agriculture. Unfortunately, interest rate subsidy programs do not include consultations with the fnancial sector when programs are designed, and as a result, the way in which the programs are built does not motivate banks to increase lending to the agriculture sector. Farms need constant fnancial support because of the need to invest in production all at once and at a large scale, in accordance with the nature of production, the long retention period of the assets involved, ie the low turnover of the invested funds, and the low proft that the primary agricultural production generates makes it impossible to create own accumulation, or own sources of fnancing.

Koncept primarne poljoprivredne proizvodnje i prerade u gradskom području Niša

Koncept primarne poljoprivredne proizvodnje i prerade u gradskom području Niša

‘How Does Your Garden Grow?’ Horticulture in Western Australia

In a traditional nursery rhyme the question is posed: ‘How does your garden grow’? Within Western Australia, a proud home owner of a well-maintained garden may receive a similar question from a neighbor and/or visitor. The response may be along the lines of: ‘I have green fingers’, or ‘I have a keen gardener assisting me’. The surprise in the question comes about from the fact that home-owners in many of the cities and towns in Western Australia experience water restrictions; the soil is perceived to be ‘sandy’ and hence not suitable for growing any plants; and, the day-time temperatures of summer are generally at a higher level for the good of plant life. Home-owners are often advised and encouraged to grow native plants rather than focusing on growing roses and other delicate plants. A commentary on horticulture in Western Australia is offered in this presentation which discusses briefly the geography and climate, the soils and typical primary agricultural products; the availability of educational courses in horticulture; and employment opportunities.

The feminization of agriculture in post-Soviet Tajikistan

In this paper we aim to analyse economic and social transition factors affecting the agricultural labor force and to understand the feminization phenomenon in rural Tajikistan. Agrarian reforms, seasonal male labor outmigration, and the subsequent increase in women's labor participation have facilitated changes in gender occupational segregation. We assume that in post-Soviet transition countries such as Tajikistan, the process of feminization grew from the need to take on jobs and to to slip in the role of the breadwinner due to the absence of men. The process enabled women to gain knowledge and experience in new employment positions.We contribute to the knowledge on feminization by conducting qualitative, case based analysis through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions and present unique data on previously unobserved employment categories and their characteristics from the Sughd province of Tajikistan.Results suggest that existing local systems of power and male-dominated relationships are being challenged due to male labor force outmigration, leading to a feminization of the remaining labor force and recipient clients. The jobs women perform remain subject to low protection, security, and earnings. However, increased participation in the labor force provides a gateway to a wider spectrum of labor opportunities and advances women's roles in primary agricultural production as well as in the service supply sector, and provides them a certain amount of control over their own lives.

Costs of growing wheat and oilseed rape in slovakia and other V4 countries

This paper deals with the issue of cost in primary agricultural production. In this paper, we assess the trends in the costs of agricultural products in the V4 countries and compare them with each other. The subject of the analysis is the evaluation of the structure and development of costs and benefits for agricultural production as a whole, partially for crop and for livestock production and also for two specifically selected products. The purpose is to find out whether the costs incurred for the cultivation of wheat and oilseed rape in Slovakia are adequate as they are compared with the surrounding countries. Following the evaluation of the development of total costs, we define the substantive issues in overhead costs and evaluate their development. Based on the results of the analyses we have defined the proportion of overhead costs in agriculture as an important component of total production costs. The paper points to the need to innovate and modernise the way we think about overheads and the method of their calculation. We also look for the answer to how modern cost management methods could influence their height and development. We propose to improve the calculation system of agricultural enterprises in the analysed countries by introducing of non-traditional calculation method which removes the inaccuracy of the traditional methods and the non-targeted allocation of high overheads to the products.

Does Korea Restrict its Imports of the Primary Agricultural Products?

Does Korea Restrict its Imports of the Primary Agricultural Products?

Risk factors in the agriculture sector

The agricultural sector je characterized by the fact that there is a high level of risk. It was always this case, but in the last years, there is a tendency of the increasing of the risk. The ability of early detection and effective management of the risks is an integral part of the strategic management of every agricultural organization. The paper presents the procedure and outcomes of the questionnaire survey aimed at the occurrence of the risk factors and approaches to the risk management in the enterprises of the primary agricultural production in Slovakia. The survey is focused on the individual character of the risk. The results of the survey point out the fact, that Slovakian farmers perceive the price risk, production or income risk as the most important risk factors, and the diversification as a most important strategy of the risk management. The most significant positive correlations were found between the land size and the perception of the price risk importance, between the number of years in office and the perception of the price risk importance. Concerning the production or income risk, the significant positive correlation was found in the legal form of business. As the most important, there was evaluated the risk perceived by the self-employed farmers.

The Impact of Management Skills of Agricultural Entities in Relation to Economic Efficiency and Natural-Climatic Conditions in Slovakia

affects the production orientation and the effectiveness of the agri-food sector. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the development in the categorization of agricultural plots by the regional differentiation of Slovakia at the NUTS IV level (districts) and draw attention to probable development of differentiation of districts in primary agricultural production in Slovakia, while ensuring the sustainability of the economic performance of the given sector. On the basis of completed analysis, we can conclude that natural and climatic conditions have a dominant influence on achievable productivity and economic efficiency of the agricultural entities in ensuring the sustainability of the economic performance of agriculture in different regions of Slovakia.

Policy Interference in the Japanese Imports of the Primary Agricultural Products

This study tests the feasibility of dynamic comparative advantage theory in Japan. Specifically, we use annual trade data of primary agricultural products of 1976-2015 to obtain the government interference in imports. We find that the Japanese net export ratios in this category are significantly lower than the degree that the actual comparative advantages determine. We conclude that Japan does not try to improve its comparative advantages by imposing restrictive trade policies on the imports. In other words, the theory of dynamic comparative advantages does not hold in Japan, at least for the Japanese imports of the primary agricultural products.