IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ejores/v309y2023i2p560-577.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Demand information sharing in a contract farming supply chain

Author

Listed:
  • Hong, Xianpei
  • He, Yimeng
  • Zhou, Pin
  • Chen, Jiguang

Abstract

Contract farming is vital to protecting small farmers against market price fluctuations, and has grown rapidly. Demand information plays an important role in balancing supply and demand. However, most previous studies have overlooked demand information sharing by for-profit companies in contract farming. In this study, we present a stylized model of a for-profit company signing a contract with one farmer or two farmers. In the case of two farmers, due to the different transportation costs, the company first orders from farmer 1 and then from farmer 2. The order quantities are constrained by the farmers’ actual outputs. We analyze the company's demand information-sharing strategies and obtain interesting results: (1) the company prefers to share positive demand information and withhold negative demand information with all farmers if the production cost is low. Surprisingly, when the production cost is high, the company only shares demand information with farmer 2. (2) When information is withheld from farmer 1, farmer 2 is more responsive to information. This is caused by farmer 1’s advantage of being the preferred supplier. Additionally, farmer 1 always obtains its maximum profit, but farmer 2 does not always achieve optimal profits under the company's optimal strategies. (3) We find that maximizing social welfare is not the most beneficial strategy for each farmer. Finally, we use Wens’ sales data to conduct a case study and provide several new management insights for partners in contract farming.

Suggested Citation

  • Hong, Xianpei & He, Yimeng & Zhou, Pin & Chen, Jiguang, 2023. "Demand information sharing in a contract farming supply chain," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 309(2), pages 560-577.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:309:y:2023:i:2:p:560-577
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2023.01.058
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037722172300108X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ejor.2023.01.058?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maertens, Miet & Vande Velde, Katrien, 2017. "Contract-farming in Staple Food Chains: The Case of Rice in Benin," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 73-87.
    2. Baojun Jiang & Lin Tian & Yifan Xu & Fuqiang Zhang, 2016. "To Share or Not to Share: Demand Forecast Sharing in a Distribution Channel," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(5), pages 800-809, September.
    3. Niu, Baozhuang & Jin, Delong & Pu, Xujin, 2016. "Coordination of channel members’ efforts and utilities in contract farming operations," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 255(3), pages 869-883.
    4. Tian Li & Shilu Tong & Hongtao Zhang, 2014. "Transparency of Information Acquisition in a Supply Chain," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 16(3), pages 412-424, July.
    5. Yiwen Bian & Shuai Yan & Zelong Yi & Xu Guan & Ying‐Ju Chen, 2022. "Quality Certification in Agricultural Supply Chains: Implications from Government Information Provision," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(4), pages 1456-1472, April.
    6. Tang, Christopher S. & Sodhi, ManMohan S. & Formentini, Marco, 2016. "An analysis of partially-guaranteed-price contracts between farmers and agri-food companies," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 254(3), pages 1063-1073.
    7. Singh, Sukhpal, 2002. "Contracting Out Solutions: Political Economy of Contract Farming in the Indian Punjab," 2002 ASAE 3rd International Conference, October 18-20, Jaipur, India 294714, Asian Society of Agricultural Economists (ASAE).
    8. Awi Federgruen & Upmanu Lall & A. Serdar Şimşek, 2019. "Supply Chain Analysis of Contract Farming," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 21(2), pages 361-378, April.
    9. Ming Hu & Yan Liu & Wenbin Wang, 2019. "Socially Beneficial Rationality: The Value of Strategic Farmers, Social Entrepreneurs, and For-Profit Firms in Crop Planting Decisions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(8), pages 3654-3672, August.
    10. Anderson, Edward & Monjardino, Marta, 2019. "Contract design in agriculture supply chains with random yield," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 277(3), pages 1072-1082.
    11. Hope C. Michelson, 2013. "Small Farmers, NGOs, and a Walmart World: Welfare Effects of Supermarkets Operating in Nicaragua," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 95(3), pages 628-649.
    12. ., 2019. "Building integrated photovoltaics," Chapters, in: Energy Innovation for the Twenty-First Century, chapter 10, pages 282-321, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Man Yu & Erbao Cao, 2020. "Information sharing format and carbon emission abatement in a supply chain with competition," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(22), pages 6775-6790, November.
    14. Song Huang & Xu Guan & Ying†Ju Chen, 2018. "Retailer Information Sharing with Supplier Encroachment," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 27(6), pages 1133-1147, June.
    15. Chen, Jing & Pun, Hubert & Zhang, Qiao, 2023. "Eliminate demand information disadvantage in a supplier encroachment supply chain with information acquisition," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 305(2), pages 659-673.
    16. Fei Ye & Qiang Lin & Yina Li, 2020. "Coordination for contract farming supply chain with stochastic yield and demand under CVaR criterion," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 369-397, March.
    17. Phil Simmons & Paul Winters & Ian Patrick, 2005. "An analysis of contract farming in East Java, Bali, and Lombok, Indonesia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 33(s3), pages 513-525, November.
    18. Gemma Berenguer & Pinar Keskinocak & J. George Shanthikumar & Jayashankar M. Swaminathan & Luk Van Wassenhove & Chen-Nan Liao & Ying-Ju Chen, 2017. "Farmers' Information Management in Developing Countries—A Highly Asymmetric Information Structure," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 26(6), pages 1207-1220, June.
    19. Xu Guan & Ying-Ju Chen, 2017. "The Interplay between Information Acquisition and Quality Disclosure," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 26(3), pages 389-408, March.
    20. Nathan Hillson & Mark Caddick & Yizhi Cai & Jose A. Carrasco & Matthew Wook Chang & Natalie C. Curach & David J. Bell & Rosalind Feuvre & Douglas C. Friedman & Xiongfei Fu & Nicholas D. Gold & Markus , 2019. "Building a global alliance of biofoundries," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-4, December.
    21. Liang Guo, 2009. "The Benefits of Downstream Information Acquisition," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 28(3), pages 457-471, 05-06.
    22. Ragasa, Catherine & Lambrecht, Isabel & Kufoalor, Doreen S., 2018. "Limitations of Contract Farming as a Pro-poor Strategy: The Case of Maize Outgrower Schemes in Upper West Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 30-56.
    23. Chen-Nan Liao & Ying-Ju Chen & Christopher S. Tang, 2019. "Information Provision Policies for Improving Farmer Welfare in Developing Countries: Heterogeneous Farmers and Market Selection," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 21(2), pages 254-270, May.
    24. Qian, Xiaoyan, 2021. "Production planning and equity investment decisions in agriculture with closed membership cooperatives," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 294(2), pages 684-699.
    25. Ying-Ju Chen & Christopher S. Tang, 2015. "The Economic Value of Market Information for Farmers in Developing Economies," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 24(9), pages 1441-1452, September.
    26. Junjie Zhou & Xiaoshuai Fan & Ying-Ju Chen & Christopher S. Tang, 2021. "Information Provision and Farmer Welfare in Developing Economies," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 23(1), pages 230-245, 1-2.
    27. Christopher S. Tang & Yulan Wang & Ming Zhao, 2015. "The Implications of Utilizing Market Information and Adopting Agricultural Advice for Farmers in Developing Economies," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 24(8), pages 1197-1215, August.
    28. Yong He & Xuan Zhao, 2016. "Contracts and coordination: Supply chains with uncertain demand and supply," Naval Research Logistics (NRL), John Wiley & Sons, vol. 63(4), pages 305-319, June.
    29. Singh, Sukhpal, 2002. "Contracting Out Solutions: Political Economy of Contract Farming in the Indian Punjab," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(9), pages 1621-1638, September.
    30. Burak Kazaz, 2004. "Production Planning Under Yield and Demand Uncertainty with Yield-Dependent Cost and Price," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 6(3), pages 209-224, October.
    31. Weixin Shang & Albert Y. Ha & Shilu Tong, 2016. "Information Sharing in a Supply Chain with a Common Retailer," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(1), pages 245-263, January.
    32. Zhanwen Shi & Erbao Cao, 2020. "Contract farming problems and games under yield uncertainty," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 64(4), pages 1210-1238, October.
    33. Qiao†Chu He & Ying†Ju Chen & Zuo†Jun Shen, 2018. "On the Formation of Producers’ Information†Sharing Coalitions," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 27(5), pages 917-927, May.
    34. Jiguang Chen & Ying‐Ju Chen, 2021. "The Impact of Contract Farming on Agricultural Product Supply in Developing Economies," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(8), pages 2395-2419, August.
    35. Wolfgang Ulaga & Andreas Eggert, 2006. "Value-Based Differentiation in Business Relationships: Gaining and Sustaining Key Supplier Status," Post-Print hal-00482456, HAL.
    36. Albert Y. Ha & Shilu Tong, 2008. "Contracting and Information Sharing Under Supply Chain Competition," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(4), pages 701-715, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xiaolong Guo & Lihong Cheng & Yugang Yu, 2022. "Government subsidy policy for green and efficient raw materials considering farmer heterogeneity," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(11), pages 4095-4112, November.
    2. Sushil Gupta & Hossein Rikhtehgar Berenji & Manish Shukla & Nagesh N. Murthy, 2023. "Opportunities in farming research from an operations management perspective," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(6), pages 1577-1596, June.
    3. Yiwen Bian & Shuai Yan & Zelong Yi & Xu Guan & Ying‐Ju Chen, 2022. "Quality Certification in Agricultural Supply Chains: Implications from Government Information Provision," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(4), pages 1456-1472, April.
    4. Nilanjan Dutta & Arshinder Kaur, 2023. "Enabling socially responsible operations: A decision-making model for a firm contracting with decision-biased smallholders," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 320(1), pages 509-533, January.
    5. Xing, Wei & Li, Qiankun & Zhao, Xuan & Li, Jialu, 2020. "Information sale and contract selection under downstream competition," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    6. Guan, Xu & Huang, Song & Chen, Ying-Ju, 2022. "Acquisition transparency and induced supplier encroachment," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    7. Cai, Jianhu & Sun, Haining & Shang, Jennifer & Hegde, Gajanan G., 2023. "Information structure selection in a green supply chain: Impacts of wholesale price and greenness level," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 306(1), pages 34-46.
    8. Nematollahi, Mohammadreza & Tajbakhsh, Alireza & Mosadegh Sedghy, Bahareh, 2021. "The reflection of competition and coordination on organic agribusiness supply chains," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    9. Wu, Junjian & Wang, Haiyan & Shang, Jennifer, 2019. "Multi-sourcing and information sharing under competition and supply uncertainty," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 278(2), pages 658-671.
    10. Tian Li & Hongtao Zhang, 2023. "Gaining by ceding ‐ bounded wholesale pricing for information sharing in a supply chain," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(3), pages 829-843, March.
    11. Bellemare, Marc F. & Bloem, Jeffrey R., 2018. "Does contract farming improve welfare? A review," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 259-271.
    12. Nur Ayvaz‐Çavdaroğlu & Burak Kazaz & Scott Webster, 2021. "Incentivizing Farmers to Invest in Quality through Quality‐Based Payment," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(10), pages 3812-3830, October.
    13. Pagare, Dewang & Biswas, Indranil & Agrahari, Amit & Ghosh, Sriparna, 2023. "A small farmer’s market choice in the presence of multiple markets: The Indian case," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 311(2), pages 739-753.
    14. Arouna, Aminou & Michler, Jeffrey D. & Lokossou, Jourdain C., 2021. "Contract farming and rural transformation: Evidence from a field experiment in Benin," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    15. Yong Zha & Quan Li & Tingliang Huang & Yugang Yu, 2023. "Strategic Information Sharing of Online Platforms as Resellers or Marketplaces," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 42(4), pages 659-678, July.
    16. Chen, Jing & Pun, Hubert & Zhang, Qiao, 2023. "Eliminate demand information disadvantage in a supplier encroachment supply chain with information acquisition," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 305(2), pages 659-673.
    17. Hong, Xianpei & Cao, Xinlu & Gong, Yeming & Chen, Wanying, 2021. "Quality information acquisition and disclosure with green manufacturing in a closed-loop supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    18. Huang, Song & Zhang, Xianmei & Chen, Shuting, 2021. "Information acquisition with advertising threshold effect under manufacturer encroachment in a supply chain," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    19. Xianpei Hong & Xinlu Cao & Yeming Gong & Wanying (amanda) Chen, 2021. "Quality information acquisition and disclosure with green manufacturing in a closed-loop supply chain," Post-Print hal-03188234, HAL.
    20. Zhong, Ling & Nie, Jiajia & Yue, Xiaohang & Jin, Minyue, 2023. "Optimal design of agricultural insurance subsidies under the risk of extreme weather," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:309:y:2023:i:2:p:560-577. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eor .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.