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Broadacre farm productivity and profitability in south-western Australia

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  • Islam, Nazrul
  • Xayavong, Vilaphonh
  • Kingwell, Ross

Abstract

This paper examines broadacre farm performance in south-western Australia. This region has experienced pronounced climate variability and volatile commodity prices since the late 1990s. Relationships between productivity and profitability are explored using panel data from 47 farms in the study region. The data are analysed using nonparametric methods. By applying the Fare-Primont index method, components of farm productivity and profitability are measured over the period 1998–2008. Growth in productivity is found to be the main contributor of profitability. Gains in efficiency and technical change are identified as jointly and similarly important in their contribution to total factor productivity for the farm sample in the region from 1998 to 2008. However, across environments, efficiency gains play an increasingly important role in influencing productivity as growing season rainfall increases. We conclude that R,D&E that delivers further improvement in technical efficiency and technical change is needed to support the profitability of farms across the study region.

Suggested Citation

  • Islam, Nazrul & Xayavong, Vilaphonh & Kingwell, Ross, 2014. "Broadacre farm productivity and profitability in south-western Australia," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 58(2), April.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aareaj:260086
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.260086
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    2. Reziti, Ioanna, 2019. "Total factor productivity change of agriculture in five Southern European countries," Agricultural Economics Review, Greek Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 0(Issue 2).
    3. Dakpo, K Hervé & Desjeux, Yann & Jeanneaux, Philippe & Latruffe, Laure, 2016. "Productivity, efficiency and technological change in French agriculture during 2002-2014: A Färe-Primont index decomposition," 149th Seminar, October 27-28, 2016, Rennes, France 244793, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. Yu Sheng & Tom Jackson & Shiji Zhao & Dandan Zhang, 2017. "Measuring Output, Input and Total Factor Productivity in Australian Agriculture: An Industry-Level Analysis," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 63, pages 169-193, February.
    5. María Molinos-Senante & Alexandros Maziotis & Ramon Sala-Garrido, 2017. "Assessment of the Total Factor Productivity Change in the English and Welsh Water Industry: a Färe-Primont Productivity Index Approach," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(8), pages 2389-2405, June.
    6. Chancellor, Will & Hughes, Neal & Zhao, Shiji & Soh, Wei Ying & Valle, Haydn & Boult, Christopher, 2021. "Controlling for the effects of climate on total factor productivity: A case study of Australian farms," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    7. S. C. West & A. W. Mugera & R. S. Kingwell, 2022. "The choice of efficiency benchmarking metric in evaluating firm productivity and viability," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 193-211, April.
    8. Łukasz Kryszak & Marta Guth & Bazyli Czyżewski, 2021. "Determinants of farm profitability in the EU regions. Does farm size matter?," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 67(3), pages 90-100.
    9. Ioanna Reziti & Leonidas Zangelidis, 2019. "Regional Productivity and Efficiency Growth in Greek Agriculture," SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, University of Piraeus, vol. 69(4), pages 3-20, October-D.
    10. Viet Nguyen, Thanh & Simioni, Michel & Le Van, Dao, 2019. "Assessment of TFP change at provincial level in Vietnam: New evidence using Färe–Primont productivity index," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 329-345.
    11. Briec, Walter & Kerstens, Kristiaan & Prior, Diego & Van de Woestyne, Ignace, 2018. "Testing general and special Färe-Primont indices: A proposal for public and private sector synthetic indices of European regional expenditures and tourism," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 271(2), pages 756-768.
    12. Neal Hughes & Michael Lu & Wei Ying Soh & Kenton Lawson, 2022. "Modelling the effects of climate change on the profitability of Australian farms," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 172(1), pages 1-22, May.
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