African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-007, August, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Cocoa export tax, producer price of cocoa and exports of Ghana’s Cocoa, 1990-2011

Asare Eric¹, Segarra Eduardo²_, and Nakakeeto Gertrude³

¹Department of Ag. & Resource Econs., University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

²Texas Tech University, Agricultural Sciences 205-E, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.

³Texas Tech University, Agricultural Sciences MS 2132, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.

Accepted 14 February, 2018

Abstract

The cocoa export tax has been an indispensable source of revenue to Ghana. Following the Cobweb production model, it is hypothesized that the lags of cocoa export tax and the producer price of cocoa would have significant effects, on cocoa export from Ghana. The study tested the above hypothesis by estimating a system of equations with the three-stage least squares procedure. The system of equations, included the export supply equation, import demand equation and the producer price of cocoa equation. The null hypotheses of homoscedastic and no autocorrelation were not rejected in the model, even at the 10 percent level. The results show that a 1% increase in the lag of export tax cocoa and producer price of cocoa decreases (increases) cocoa bean exports by 1.2% (1.9%). The study recommends that the government of Ghana implements policies and programs that eliminate potential inefficiencies in the marketing of the crop in Ghana (which is state-controlled) so that a stable level of producer price of cocoa could be sustained. It could lead to an increase in Ghana’s cocoa exports.

Keywords: Export, Import, Export Tax, Ghana, Cocoa Beans, International Trade.

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-017, August, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

An evaluation of the effects of soil variability and optimization of land use in Pratapgarh district, India

*Aamir Vajpayee Azim, Bahadur Premji and Ratan Kurien

Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur- 313001, India.

Accepted 19 September, 2017

Abstract

The present study was conducted to study the variability in soil properties in relation to landforms, in the present investigation, two transects that is, Aravalli mountain ranges and Malwa plateau, were selected in the Pratapgarh district having eight landforms namely hill, pediments, valley, and plain in the Aravalli Mountain ranges and Malwa plateau, respectively. Total eight pedons were examined in the field and investigated in the laboratory using standard laboratory procedures. The soils on hill top and pediment were shallow, gravely sandy loam to clay loam single grain in texture with medium coarse weak sub angular blocky structure and exhibited dark yellowish brown to dark reddish brown colour. The soils of valley were deep, sandy loam to loam and silty clay loam to clay loam in texture with medium coarse weak sub angular blocky to medium fine moderate sub angular blocky structure and exhibited dark yellowish brown to dark reddish brown colour. The soils of plain were found deep, silty clay in texture with medium moderate to strong angular structure (angular and sub angular) and exhibited dark brown to very dark grayish brown colour. The available water capacity were recorded higher in the plain soils as compared to soils of other landforms as well as in Aravali mountain ranges and Malwa plateau. The pH was relatively higher in the soils of Aravali mountain ranges than Malwa plateau but EC was relatively lower in the soil of Aravali mountain ranges then Malwa plateau. Distribution of organic carbon was low in soils of all pedons but comparatively higher in soils of Malwa plateau. Base saturation was comparatively lower in the soils of lower topographic position. Cation exchange capacity was found positively correlated with clay and increases as clay increased down the slope as well as with depth. Concentration of exchangeable bases was in order of Ca²⁺>Mg²⁺>K⁺>Na⁺ in all the pedons soils.

Key words: Toposequence associated soil, morphological, physical, chemical properties, taxonomy.

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-011, August, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of the correlations between Si analyzed extract and Si management agenda of rice cultivars

*Amartya Dhoni, Salman E. Ray and Rajiv Dhyan Rushdie

Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, B. A. College of Agriculture, AAU, Anand, Gujarat, India. 

Accepted 13 April, 2019

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted in 2012 in the greenhouse of the Anand Agricultural University Anand Gujarat, India. Treatments were arranged in a factorial completely randomized complete design with silicon factor at four levels (0, 100, 200 and 300 ppm) with three replicates. Indian improved and high - yielding variety Gurajari was used. The Si application up to 200 mg kg-1 soil significantly increased grain and straw yields of rice over the control under low (< 25 mg Si kg-1 soil) and medium (25 - 50 mg Si kg-1 soil) category soils, while it was up to 100 mg Si kg -1 soil in high category soils. The soil, grain and straw samples were analyzed for their Si, P, K, S and Na content at harvest. The Si content in grain ranged from 1.77 to 2.69% in untreated plots, whereas in treating plots, it ranged from 1.85 to 3.40%. The average value of Si content in straw was 7.78, 7.46 and 7.82% in low, medium and high category soils, respectively.

Key words: Silicon, yield, mineral composition, content, rice.

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-005, August, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of Si and N on yield, yield components and NUE of aerobic and wetland rice

*Kareena Kohli, B. G. Chand and Bhagat Tilak

Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi–12, India.

Accepted 20 June, 2017

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during Kharif season of 2009 on sandy loam soil at Doddajala, Bangalore, India of eastern dry zone soils of Karnataka to investigate the effect of silicon (Si) and nitrogen application on the growth and yield of rice, using Cv. BI-34, a medium duration genotype. The results revealed that higher grain and straw yield was noticed with application of calcium silicate at 2 t ha-1 along with application of N at 100 kg ha-1 recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) followed by silica gel at 500 kg ha -1 over RDF under both aerobic and wetland rice conditions. The combined application of Si sources along with Leaf Colour Chart (LCC) based N application of 75 kg N ha-1 (Basal 30 kg N ha-1+LCC) under aerobic and wetland rice recorded on par grain and straw yield compared to RDF alone. Combined application of silicon and nitrogen significantly increased the effective number of tillers, number of grains per panicle, 1000-grain weight. Higher agronomical efficiency (AEN), recovery efficiency (REN), Partial factor productivity (PFPN) values were noticed with LCC based application along with calcium silicate at 2t ha-1 under both aerobic and wetland rice.

Key words: Rice, silicon, nitrogen use efficiency, leaf colour chart, real time N management.

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-005, August, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

An experimental study of the residue inorganic N content at various intervals after incubation

*Kareena Kohli, B. G. Chand and Bhagat Tilak

Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi–12, India.

Accepted 22 February, 201

Abstract

A laboratory incubation experiment was carried out for 85 days to monitor the N mineralization during the decomposition of ¹⁵N labeled wheat and rice straws incorporated at 5 g kg^-1 soil at varying temperatures and with soils of varying clay content. Results have shown that N mineralization surpass immobilization 40th day onwards. Irrespective of temperature and clay content, mineralization of rice residue N was found to be significantly higher than that of wheat residue throughout the incubation period. Increasing temperature and clay content both had positive effect on residue N mineralization. At 85th day after incubation N mineralization from the residues was found to be 13 - 14%. Clay content, temperature, composition of the residues are important factors controlling plant residues decomposition under laboratory conditions.

Key words: Rice and wheat residues, straw, N-mineralization, immobilization.

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-010, August, 2019.  © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of factors affecting livelihood situations in the disadvantaged areas of West Bengal, India

*Kapoor O. Virat, Kareena Dhyan and Manmohan A. Chandra

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal- 73616, India.

Accepted 13 January, 2019

Abstract

The present study was conducted to assess economic and social sustainability and their impact on rural livelihood of North East India. Results demonstrate that overall input self sufficiency ratio increased almost two fold (from 0.29 to 0.53). The less the index value is, the higher the cropping diversification will be, and thus, the more relatively sustainable for the farming system. The cropping diversification index (ICD) was enhanced from 36.90 to 18.73%, 40.03 to 19.72%, 34.04 to 19.90% and 43.71 to 22.33% at clusters -I, -II, -III and - IV, respectively. Due to introduction of improved agro-techniques and intensification of crop diversification through National Agricultural Innovation Project in the study areas, overall food deficiency was mitigated by 7.31, 16.97 and 24.05% for 2, 4 and 6 months, respectively, while overall food sufficiency and surplus enhanced‎from‎33.71‎to‎75.73%‎and‎0.38‎to‎8.07%.‎Overall,‎women’s‎participation‎decreased‎by‎40.75%‎in‎the‎ case of simple physical activities, whereas, it significantly increased to 417.93% in the case of knowledge and skill oriented activities, which ultimately assisted in uplifting the sustainability of farming system from low to moderate and high.

Key words: Crop diversification index (ICD), food security, input self sufficiency, sustainability.