STOCHASTIC PRODUCTION FRONTIER AND TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY IN AGRILULTURE
Júnia Cristina P.R. da Conceição, Paulo F. Cidade de Araújo
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to estimate the technical efficiency of a sample of representative producers in the Brazilian commercial agriculture, based on a stochastic production frontier model. The average technical efficiency obtained was 73 .08% and, although this is a high ratio, it indicates that there it is still a possibility to increase productivity by improving technical efficiency. At the farm level, technical efficiency ranged from 4 I .4 7% to 93.09%. Tobit's model was used to investigate the influence of some human resources variables on the levels of technical efficiency. The results indicated that the most important variables were experience, private extension and alternative sources of information (radio).
Keywords
Referências
AIGNER, D. J.; LOVELL, C. A. K. & SCHMIDT, P. J.. Formulation and estimation ofstochastic frontier production models. Journal of Econometrics, v. 6, n. 1, 1977, p. 21-37.
ALVES, E. R. A.. Reflexões sobre política agrícola. Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural, v. 31, n.o 2, 1993, p.91-102.
ALVES, E. R. A. & CONTINI, E.. A modernização da agricultura brasileira. ln BRANDÃO, A. S. P. (Ed.). Os principais problemas da agricultura brasileira: análise e sugestões, 2' ed., Brasília : PNPE/IPEA, 1992, p. 49-98.
ARAÚJO, P. F. C.; BARROS, G. S. C.; PAIVA, R. M.; ALMEIDA, A. & PERES, A. R. P.. Características da agricultura das regiões estudadas: primeiros resultados de campo, Piracicaba: CEPEA/ FEALQ, 1990 (Relatório de pesquisa n.o 1).
BARROS, G. S. C.. A transição na política agrícola brasileira. ln CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE ECONOMIA E SOCIOLOGIA RURAL, 36, Poços de Caldas, 1998. Anais. Brasília : SOBER, 1998, p. 1-19.
BATTESE, G. E. & COELLI, T. J.. Prediction offirm-level technical efficiencies with a generalized frontier production function and panei data. Journal ofEconometrics, v. 38, n. 3, 1988, p. 387-399.
BELBASE, K. & GRABOWSKI, R.. Technical efficiency in nepalese agriculture. Journal of Development Areas, v. 19, n. 4, 1985, p. 515-525.
BRA VO-URET A, B. E. & EVENSON, R. E.. Efficiency in agricultura! production: the case of peasant farmers in eastern Paraguay. Agricultural Economics, v. 10, n. 1, 1994, p. 27-37.
BRAVO-URETA, B. E. & PINHEIRO, A. E.. Efficiency analysis of developing country agriculture: a review of the frontier literature. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, v. 22, n. 1, 1993, p. 88-101.
BRAVO-URETA, B. E. & PINHEIRO, E.. Technical economic and allocative efficiency in peasant farming: evidence from the Dominican Republic. The Developing Economies, v. 35, n. 1, 1997, p. 48-67.
FARRELL, M. J.. The measurement of productive efficiency. Journal ofRoyal Statistical Society, v. 19, n. 2, 1957, p. 253-281.
GOMES, R. S.. Socioeconomics, management and institutional determinants of technical efficiency: the case of small producers in irrigated agriculture in northeast Brazil. (Arizona), 1986. 151 p., Thesis (Master) - Department of Agricultura! and Resource Economics.
GREENE, W. H.. Econometric analysis, 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs : Prentice Hall, 1997, 791 p..
GREENE, W. H.. LIMDEP: user's manual and reference guide. New Y ork : Econometric Software, 1991.
HUFFMAN, W. E.. Decision-making: the role ofeducation. American. Journal of Agricultura( Economics, v. 56, 11. l, 1974, p. 85- 97.
HUSSAIN, S. S.; BYRLEE, D. & HEISUY, P. W.. Impacts of trai11i11g a11d visit exte11sio11 system 011 farmer's knowledge a11d adoptio11 of tech11ology: evide11ce from Pakista11. Agricultural Economics, v. 10, 11. 1, 1994, p. 39-47.
JONDROW, J.; LOVELL, C. A. K.; MATEROV, I. S. & SCHMIDT, P.. 011 the estimatio11 oftechnical inefficiency i11 the stochastic fro11tier proouction fu11ctio11 model. Journal of Econometrics, v. 19, 11. 2/3, 1982, p. 232-238.
KALIRAJAN, K.. The importa11ce ofefficie11t use in the adoptio11 of tech11ology: a micropa11el data a11alysis. Journal of Productivity Analysis, 11. 2, 1991, p. 113-126.
KALIRAJAN, K. & SHAND, R. T.. Estimati11g location-specific a11d firm-specific tech11ical efficie11cy: a11 a11alysis of Malaysia11 agriculture. Journal Economic Development, v.11, n.1, 1986, p. 147-160.
KOOP, R. J. & SMITH, V. K.. Fro11ti~r production functio11 estimates for steam electric generation: a comparative a11alysis. Southern Economic Journal, v. 47, n. 4, 1980, p. 1049-1059.
PUDASAINI, S. P.. The effects of educatio11 in agriculture: evidence from Nepal. American Journal of Agricultura( Economics, v. 65, n. 3, 19P3, p. 503-516.
RAM, R.. Role o f education production: a slightly new approach. Quarterly Journal ofEconomic, v. 95, n. 2, 1980, p. 365-373.
TAYLOR, T. G.; DRUMMOND, H. E. & GOMES, A. T.. Agricultura! credit programs and production efficiency: an analysis oftraditional farming in southeastern Minas Gerais, Brazil. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, v. 68, n. 1, 1986, p. 110-119.
TAYLOR, T. G. & SHONKWILER, J. S.. Alternative stochastic specifications of the frontier production function in the analysis of agricultura! credit programs and tecl_rnical efficiency. Journal of DevelopmentEconomics, v. 21, n. 1, 1986, p. 149-160.
TUPY , O .. Fronteiras estocásticas, dualidade neoclássica e eficiência econômica na produção de frangos de corte. Piracicaba, 1996, 91 p., Tese (Doutorado) - Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiróz, Universidade de São Paulo.
ZELLNER, A. J.; KMENTA, J. & DRÊZE, J.. Specification and estimation of Cobb-Douglas production function models. Econometrica, v. 34, n. 4, 1966, p. 784-795.