Browsing by Subject "Grain market"

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    Betriebswirtschaftliche Analyse des Einsatzes moderner Agrartechnik in der Körnerfrüchteproduktion in Russland.
    (2007) Vorontsova, Tatiana; Zeddies, Jürgen
    The dissertation in hand refers to the optimisation of conventional cultivation methods by the use of resource-saving technologies in cereal production at six agricultural survey enterprises in the Region of Samara/Russia. The aim of the optimisation is to estimate the economic efficiency of the changeover from conventional to resource-saving cultivation methods as well as to evaluate the use of agricultural machinery adapted to the specific technology, and, starting from this basis, to develop practice-oriented and efficiency-increasing solutions. Agriculture is still one of the most important branches of the economy in the Region of Samara on the middle Volga. The climatic conditions are not optimal for a successful grain production, while this branch plays an important role in the region. Despite of the positive development, in grain production in the Region of Samara the production potential has not yet been completely used. During the last years a considerable reduction in the agricultural machinery stock could be noticed, mainly because of obsolescence and wastage of the agricultural machinery as well as the small number of new purchases. The equipment at the disposal of the agricultural enterprises for plant cultivation, during the years 1990 to 2002 ? if compared to the requirements in agricultural technics ? amounted to approximately 46 percent of the tractors needed and approximately 56 percent of the combine harvesters needed. This entailed that the optimal time periods were not matched which, as a consequence, led to the reduction in the yields and an extension of the area not harvested. In order to create favorable conditions for an efficient grain production and for the development of the grain market in the Region of Samara, in 1998 the programme for the "Improvement of the grain production by the application of resource and accordingly watersaving cultivation methods 1998-2002" was starting to be implemented. The changeover from conventional cultivation methods to the use of resource-saving methods including modern and efficient agricultural technics represents a big challenge especially for medium-sized and small farms with a restricted financial potential. Through excluding ploughing from the soil cultivation work process as a most cost-intensive operation, as a result of the optimisation, machine costs can be reduced considerably under the system of preserving soil tillage. On average, these machine costs amount to 18.3 ?/ha with no-till cultivation, and are thus approximately 6 percent lower than with the conventional cultivation methods that were practised in the survey enterprises before. The average machine costs for direct drilling methods amount to approximately 15 ?/ha and can consequently be further reduced by about 18 percent if compared to no-till cultivation methods, and by approximately 22 percent if compared to conventional production methods. However, in the case of applying modern agricultural technics for resource-saving cultivation methods, the resulting fixed costs considerably surmount those of conventional cultivation methods. The modern agricultural machinery shows, however, a substantially higher performance potential. In the long-term, it can be assumed that the modern agricultural machines in this context are the more efficient solution. Moreover, the economic efficiency analysis of the cultivation methods? rearrangement rendered considerable advantages as to the development of labour demand and costs at the questioned agricultural enterprises. The application of resource-saving cultivation methods contributes to a noticeable decrease in labour demand. Under application of optimised cultivation methods, the labour cost is approximately 1.3 ?/ha or 60 percent lower than the total labour costs in the case of conventional cultivation methods. Although the implementation of resource-saving cultivation methods basically does not require an intensified application of fertilisers and pesticides, their aplication volume is being raised and adapted to the necessary level within the frame of the optimisation process. Under favourable weather conditions thus an increase of the yield per hectare as well as of the quality, and in the medium-term, a positive influence on the cereal production can be expected. As result of the conducted optimisation of cultivation methods and of the implementation of the recommended measures at the survey agricultural enterprises in the Region of Samara, a change in the obtained gross margin can be detained. The average gross margin decreases under no-till cultivation by approximately 24 percent and amounts to 58 ?/ha. The calculated gross margin for the direct drilling methods amounts to 61 ?/ha and is still below the amount effected under conventional cultivation methods. The calculated equilibrium points at the fact that the implementation of the optimised cultivation methods requires an increase of the hectare yield in the survey farms by 2.5 dt/ha on average. In order to reach a positive economic effect or at least the same economic efficiency as with use of conventional cultivation methods, the hectare yield should be increased to approximately 23 dt/ha or, by 12 percent. In spite of the findings resulting from the optimisation calculations that the gross margins are reduced with direct drilling as well as with no-till cultivation methods, the results in Samara Region, however, indicate a continuous increase of the economic efficiency under the condition of a long-term application of resource-saving cultivation methods in cereal production. The rearrangement of the conventional cultivation methods towards the optimised resource-saving technologies is under these conditions for the survey agricultural enterprises advantageous in a long-term view.
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    Funktion der föderalen und regionalen Getreidefonds und deren Bedeutung unter marktwirtschaftlichen Verhältnissen
    (2003) Andrianov, Vladislav; Zeddies, Jürgen
    In the work is discussed the formation of a Russian grain sector on the ground of analysis of its structure development during the last two centuries, empirical research for activity of state grain funds on federal and regional levels and grain producers in Bryansk oblast. The dynamic planning is used as well to learn more about the development of producers in the region. The goal of the work is to identify an economic effect coming from various instruments, which are used by the state regulating grain production on the both levels and to make recommendations to the influence and organization of the grain policy in Russia. The work is mainly based on statistics from grain producers and Goskomstat in Bryansk oblast. Furthermore common statistics and a professional literature dedicated to the problems of development of Russian grain markets and to state intervention in the market have been evaluated. Based on empirical statistics from grain producers and normative information from Russian research institutes a simultaneous dynamic model has been worked out to make business planning. After this case scenarios showing the development of producers in the region have been developed and the middle-term planning for a period of three years carried out. With the aid of this planning the development chances of agricultural enterprises under present and alternative basic conditions of regional grain policy are analyzed and existing restraints of business are reviewed. In the middle of the 19th century Russia had a significant impact on the world grain market. At that time the country controlled a high market share for wheat, rye, barley and oat. The development of a railroad during this period caused the regional price differences to be settled and the grain production to be expanded into new regions. The grain crops in Russia grew near the crops in the USA and Europe gradually. Running grain bourses bettered the market transparency and boosted the formation of functioning markets in the country. The October revolution slowed down the integration of Russian grain market into world market. During the former Soviet Union Russian grain producers have been separated from the development trends on the world market. The grain export has been controlled by the state. Only the state could export the grain and income from export trade flowed into the federal budget. Collectivization of the soviet agriculture and outbreak of the Second World War contributed to a growing backwardness of the Russian grain sector. That was reflected in a lower level of grain production in Russia. Grain enterprises had any incentives to produce the competitive products which could be sold on the world market. In January 1992 the government monopoly on trade with most agricultural products has been abolished. This caused an increase in the price level of the food on domestic markets. The government constrained the price increase by some basic products like bread and milk but the price control for them has been moved to the area of responsibility of regional authorities. As a result of that there is a wide palette of state instruments at present, which are used for regulation of local grain markets.