Which Will Overcome? The Productivity or Risk Premium

Abstract

The study investigates consumers' preference for cowpea reflected in the Nigerian markets through price discounts and premiums that consumers pay for different cowpea characteristics. The price data used for this study were obtained through a market survey. A common data collection protocol was employed. Every month, between October 2009 to December 2010, five cowpea samples per seller were bought from randomly selected sellers in six markets and the prices noted. In the laboratory, the non-price data, such as, 100 grain weight, number of bruchid holes per 100 grains, eye colour and texture of the testa were obtained. A hedonic pricing regression model was used to analyze data collected. Hedonic pricing methods provide a statistical estimate of premiums and discounts. Results indicate that eye colour is the most important determinant of cowpea market prices. Cowpeas with brown colour commands a clear premium in all but one market. The consumers discount prices for insect damage in most markets. In general, this study signals the need for cowpea breeders to identify cost effective ways of breeding for brown coloured cowpea (Ife-brown specie) which was noted to attract price premium.Risk-averse farmers are prudent to use different inputs because every input has a distinct effect on output fluctuations and production risk as well. This paper examines the effect of input using growth on producer welfare of date farmers in Sistan and Baluchestan province which is the second greatest producer and exporter of date in Iran. It is well known that input using growth impresses both productivity and risk premium. These two factors contribute to producer welfare so that increasing the productivity will boost the welfare and an addition to risk premium shall detract the welfare of risk-averse farmers. Results showed that technical change has reduced both productivity and production risk in 2011/2012 and the welfare increased as 912727.21. But, in 2010/2011, productivity and risk premium had a positive growth and finally the producer's welfare experienced a reduction as 1041478.41.