Are diversification and structural change good policy? An empirical analysis of Norwegian agriculture

Title
Are diversification and structural change good policy? An empirical analysis of Norwegian agriculture
Publication Date
2019-02
Author(s)
Alem, Habtamu
Lien, Gudbrand
Kumbhakar, Subal C
Hardaker, J Brian
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Place of publication
United States of America
DOI
10.1017/aae.2018.17
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/51773
Abstract

We investigated whether diversification and/or structural change would improve Norwegian agriculture. Using a flexible technology approach to account for different technologies, we assessed economies of scope and scale of dairy and cropping farms, including regional differences. We fitted translog cost functions to farm-level panel data for the period 1991-2014. We found both economies of scope and scale on the farms. Dairy farms have an economic incentive to integrate dairying with cropping in all regions of Norway, and vice versa. Thus, policy makers should eschew interventions that inhibit diversification or structural change and that increase the costs of food production.

Link
Citation
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 51(1), p. 1-26
ISSN
2056-7405
1074-0708
Start page
1
End page
26
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International

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