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Contractual arrangements and enforcement in transition agriculture: Theory and evidence from China

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  • Guo, Hongdong
  • Jolly, Robert W.
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    Abstract

    This paper empirically investigates the relationship between contractual arrangements and their enforcement in Chinese agriculture. Based on an analysis of a survey of 100 agribusiness firms engaged in contract farming in Zhejiang province of China, we find that private contract enforcement mechanisms play an important role in influencing smallholders' decisions to breach or fulfill contracts. Contract arrangements such as floor pricing, or requiring smallholders to make specific investments facilitate self-enforcement and significantly improve the smallholder's contract fulfillment rate. This is particularly important in Chinese agriculture since the business environment is characterized by an absence of effective public enforcement institutions.

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    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VCB-4SR6G12-1/2/dc14d25dbe9284ef8f06e11e129eba92
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    Bibliographic Info

    Article provided by Elsevier in its journal Food Policy.

    Volume (Year): 33 (2008)
    Issue (Month): 6 (December)
    Pages: 570-575

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    Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:33:y:2008:i:6:p:570-575

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    Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/foodpol

    Related research

    Keywords: Contract enforcement Transition agriculture China;

    References

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    1. John McMillan & Christopher Woodruff, 1998. "Interfirm Relationships and Informal Credit in Vietnam," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 132, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    2. Marcel Fafchamps & Bart Minten, 2001. "Social Capital and Agricultural Trade," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 83(3), pages 680-685.
    3. Peter Bogetoft & Henrik Ballebye Olesen, 2002. "Ten rules of thumb in contract design: lessons from Danish agriculture," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Foundation for the European Review of Agricultural Economics, vol. 29(2), pages 185-204, June.
    4. Simon Johnson & John McMillan, 2002. "Courts and Relational Contracts," Journal of Law, Economics and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 18(1), pages 221-277, April.
    5. Gow, Hamish R. & Streeter, Deborah H. & Swinnen, Johan F. M., 2000. "How private contract enforcement mechanisms can succeed where public institutions fail: the case of Juhocukor a.s," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 23(3), pages 253-265, September.
    6. Tao, Zhigang & Zhu, Tian, 2001. "An agency theory of transactions without contract enforcement: The case of China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14.
    7. Telser, L G, 1980. "A Theory of Self-enforcing Agreements," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 53(1), pages 27-44, January.
    8. Hamish R. Gow & Johan F. M. Swinnen, 2001. "Private Enforcement Capital and Contract Enforcement in Transition Economies," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 83(3), pages 686-690.
    9. Klein, Benjamin, 1996. "Why Hold-Ups Occur: The Self-Enforcing Range of Contractual Relationships," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 34(3), pages 444-63, July.
    10. Hongdong Guo & Robert W Jolly & Jianhua Zhu, 2007. "Contract Farming in China: Perspectives of Farm Households and Agribusiness Firms," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 49(2), pages 285-312, June.
    11. Hart, Oliver, 1995. "Firms, Contracts, and Financial Structure," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198288817, July.
    12. Beckmann, Volker & Boger, Silke, 2003. "Courts And Contract Enforcement In Transition Agriculture: Theory And Evidence From Poland," 2003 Annual Meeting, August 16-22, 2003, Durban, South Africa 25878, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    13. Knack, Stephen & Keefer, Philip, 1997. "Does Social Capital Have an Economic Payoff? A Cross-Country Investigation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 112(4), pages 1251-88, November.
    14. Klein, Benjamin & Leffler, Keith B, 1981. "The Role of Market Forces in Assuring Contractual Performance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(4), pages 615-41, August.
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    Cited by:
    1. Schipmann, Christin & Qaim, Matin, 2011. "Supply chain differentiation, contract agriculture, and farmers’ marketing preferences: the case of sweet pepper in Thailand," Discussion Papers 108349, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, GlobalFood, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.

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