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Impact of contract farming on yield, costs and profitability in low‐value crop: evidence from a low‐income country

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  • Ashok K. Mishra
  • Anjani Kumar
  • Pramod K. Joshi
  • Alwin D'Souza

Abstract

Lentils, a low‐value and highly nutritious crop, are Nepal's largest pulse cash crop. However, the majority of the nation's smallholders produce lentils on very small plots of land. The large gap in lentil yields between Nepal and other lentil‐producing countries underscores the importance of improving yields and income of smallholders. When it comes to the financial viability of small farms, particularly in developing countries, and globalisation, contract farming (CF) may prove useful in achieving efficiency and profitability in smallholder lentil farms in Nepal. This study employs the propensity score matching approach to examine the effects of the adoption of CF on yields, profitability and costs of smallholder lentil farms in Nepal. Findings from this study reveal that contrary to popular belief, CF adoption by lentil producers in Nepal has a positive and significant effect on per‐hectare revenues, profits and yield and a negative impact on variable and transportation costs. The study finds that only very smallholder lentil farms (0.01‐0.05 ha) benefit from CF.

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  • Ashok K. Mishra & Anjani Kumar & Pramod K. Joshi & Alwin D'Souza, 2018. "Impact of contract farming on yield, costs and profitability in low‐value crop: evidence from a low‐income country," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 62(4), pages 589-607, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ajarec:v:62:y:2018:i:4:p:589-607
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8489.12268
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    4. Delelegne A. Tefera & Jos Bijman, 2021. "Economics of contracts in African food systems: evidence from the malt barley sector in Ethiopia," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-21, December.
    5. Balezentis, Tomas & Ribasauskiene, Erika & Morkunas, Mangirdas & Volkov, Artiom & Streimikiene, Dalia & Toma, Pierluigi, 2020. "Young farmers’ support under the Common Agricultural Policy and sustainability of rural regions: Evidence from Lithuania," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    6. Melaku, Astewale Bimr & Debela, Bethelhem Legesse & Qaim, Matin, 2023. "Women’s employment in high-value agriculture and child nutrition: Evidence from the Ethiopian cut-flower industry," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335848, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Badria Hamed Al Ruqishi & Tarig Gibreel & Faical Akaichi & Lokman Zaibet & Slim Zekri, 2020. "Contractual agriculture: better partnerships between small farmers and the business sector in the sultanate of Oman," Asian Journal of Agriculture and rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 10(1), pages 321-335, June.
    8. Ruml, Anette & Qaim, Matin, 2020. "Effects of marketing contracts and resource-providing contracts in the African small farm sector: Insights from oil palm production in Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    9. Odountan Ambaliou Olounlade & Gu-Cheng Li & Sènakpon E. Haroll Kokoye & François Vihôdé Dossouhoui & Kuassi Auxence Aristide Akpa & Dessalegn Anshiso & Gauthier Biaou, 2020. "Impact of Participation in Contract Farming on Smallholder Farmers’ Income and Food Security in Rural Benin: PSM and LATE Parameter Combined," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-19, January.
    10. Guyo Godana Dureti & Martin Paul Jr. Tabe‐Ojong & Enoch Owusu‐Sekyere, 2023. "The new normal? Cluster farming and smallholder commercialization in Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 54(6), pages 900-920, November.
    11. Mai Chiem Tuyen & Prapinwadee Sirisupluxana & Isriya Bunyasiri & Pham Xuan Hung, 2022. "Stakeholders’ Preferences towards Contract Attributes: Evidence from Rice Production in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, March.
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