Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Economics, Policies and Rural Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2024 | Viewed by 16523

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: agricultural economics; regional economics; rural development; sustainability; The European Union

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: the assessment of the agricultural sector; international trade assessment; international development assistance; food security; the UN’s SDGs; business plans suitable for rural areas; organic farming; social farming/care farming

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Trade and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: agricultural economics; regional economics; rural development; sustainability; The European Union

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In this era of globalization, climate change, evolving consumer preferences, and technological breakthroughs, the dynamics of agricultural markets and supply chains have undergone significant transformations. This Special Issue, entitled Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains, will act as an important platform for the exchange of research and insights in this area.

Agricultural markets and agri-food supply chains represent the backbone of global food systems. They include a range of activities, from farm to fork, involving farmers, processors, distributors, retailers, policymakers, and consumers. The effectiveness, efficiency, resilience, and sustainability of these systems have major implications for food supply sufficiency, food security, and, in a broader context, economic development and sustainability, including not only economic but also social and environmental aspects.

This Special Issue aims to promote a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between market forces, supply chain management, policy frameworks, and the various stakeholders involved in the production and distribution of agri-food products. Therefore, contributions from various fields, including economics, agribusiness, logistics, sustainability, and technology, are welcome in order to ensure that this Special Issue addresses the multifaceted challenges and opportunities in this area.

We believe that this Special Issue will contribute to achieving a deeper understanding of the main issues in this field and serve as an important information source for researchers, students, and the public.

Dr. Karel Tomšík
Dr. Pavel Kotyza
Dr. Josef Abrhám
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • agricultural markets
  • agricultural production
  • food supply
  • food security
  • sustainability
  • trade

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 1372 KiB  
Article
Competitive Position of Polish and Ukrainian Food Producers in the EU Market
by Łukasz Ambroziak, Iwona Szczepaniak and Małgorzata Bułkowska
Agriculture 2024, 14(12), 2104; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14122104 - 21 Nov 2024
Viewed by 202
Abstract
The war in Ukraine and the related disruptions in its supply chains shook global markets for agricultural and energy commodities, causing their prices to increase to unprecedented levels. At the same time, this situation highlighted the fact that Ukraine is an important global [...] Read more.
The war in Ukraine and the related disruptions in its supply chains shook global markets for agricultural and energy commodities, causing their prices to increase to unprecedented levels. At the same time, this situation highlighted the fact that Ukraine is an important global producer and exporter of certain agricultural products. The complete opening of the EU market to duty-free imports from Ukraine showed that Ukrainian products constitute competition for both EU and Polish food producers. This, in turn, caused further disruptions in the food supply chains within the EU. The aim of this article is to assess the competitive position of Polish and Ukrainian food producers in the EU market and the prospects for the evolution of their competitive advantages. The analysis was carried out using selected quantitative indicators of competitive position, namely Balassa’s Revealed Comparative Advantage Index (RCA) and the Trade Coverage Index (TC). The calculations were made using statistical data from the World Bank WITS-Comtrade database. The research covered the period from 2018 to 2023, inclusive. The research shows that between 2018 and 2023, the share of products in Polish exports to the EU, in which both countries compete, increased to 37.5%; that is, both countries had comparative advantages in these products on this market. The current competition includes, among others, poultry meat, bakery products, wafers and cookies, chocolate, corn, fruit juices, frozen fruit, water and other non-alcoholic drinks, and wheat. At the same time, more than half of Polish exports consisted of products that may become the subject of such competition in the future (currently, only Poland has comparative advantages in the export of these products). These may include, among others, cigarettes, animal feed, fresh or chilled beef, other food products, smoked fish, canned meat, fish fillets, pork, canned fish, and liquid milk and cream. Therefore, Polish food producers face big challenges; the process of the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and its potential integration with the single European market will strengthen the competitive position of Ukrainian food producers in the EU market. The current competitive strategy of Polish producers, based on cost and price advantages, may turn out to be ineffective under these conditions. Therefore, they must look for new sources of competitive advantage that will distinguish Polish products from the cheaper Ukrainian ones. Therefore, a strategy of competing on quality may prove effective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains)
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19 pages, 1464 KiB  
Article
Competitive Position of EU Candidate Countries and Eastern Partnership Countries in Trading Fruit and Vegetables in the Single European Market
by Wiktor Kupsik and Karolina Pawlak
Agriculture 2024, 14(11), 1997; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14111997 - 7 Nov 2024
Viewed by 476
Abstract
This study aims to assess the competitive position of EU candidate countries and Eastern Partnership countries in trading fruit and vegetables in the Single European Market in 2009 and 2023. This paper presents the amount and balance of bilateral trade in fruit and [...] Read more.
This study aims to assess the competitive position of EU candidate countries and Eastern Partnership countries in trading fruit and vegetables in the Single European Market in 2009 and 2023. This paper presents the amount and balance of bilateral trade in fruit and vegetables between the EU and the countries considered. It also estimates their comparative advantages in the EU internal market. A mapping tool based on the Widodo scheme was used for that purpose. This study proved that most EU candidate countries and Eastern Partnership members increased their trade values and improved their competitive position in the Single European Market (SEM) over the analyzed period. The boosters of trade included the demand in EU member markets (stimulated by the evolving consumption patterns and the widespread adoption of healthy diet patterns), the population’s purchasing power, and their willingness to buy diversified products. Turkey exported a considerable volume of fruit and vegetables to the EU and gained the strongest competitive position in the SEM. In this case, the growth of exports to the EU market was primarily driven by the production potential resulting from large agricultural land resources, climate conditions, and geographical proximity. It may be concluded that the comparative advantages gained by the analyzed countries provided a basis for a beneficial export specialization, which shows the continuous relevance of the classical theory in explaining the volume and structure of trade in agri-food products. When considering the factors determining competitiveness, it may also be stated that the neoclassical theory of factor endowment developed by Heckscher, Ohlin, and Samuelson supports the optimization of agri-food export specialization in the analyzed countries. It was also shown that bilateral trade policies and agreements are decisive in trade performance and the shaping of international competitive positions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains)
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19 pages, 2224 KiB  
Article
Road Freight Demand Forecasting Using National Accounts’ Data—The Case of Cereals
by Taha Karasu, Pekka Leviäkangas and David John Edwards
Agriculture 2024, 14(11), 1980; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14111980 - 5 Nov 2024
Viewed by 449
Abstract
This paper investigates the potential of utilising historical agricultural production data for enhancing road freight transport forecasting, focusing on cereal production. This study applies a multiple linear regression analysis using national statistical accounts and secondary data. The data were sourced from Finland’s Statistics [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the potential of utilising historical agricultural production data for enhancing road freight transport forecasting, focusing on cereal production. This study applies a multiple linear regression analysis using national statistical accounts and secondary data. The data were sourced from Finland’s Statistics Agency and the Natural Resources Institute. The analysis identifies an observable correlation between agricultural production and road freight volumes, although this correlation is not statistically significant. The highest adjusted R² observed in the models was 0.62. The analysis reveals that previous years’ production data can help forecast future road freight volumes, with vehicle mileage estimable from recent production and stock levels. Additionally, annual percentage changes in the volume of transported cereals can be partially predicted by the changes in total available cereals and opening stocks from two years prior. This exploratory research highlights the untapped predictive potential of agricultural production variables in forecasting road freight demand, suggesting areas for further forecasting enhancement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains)
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15 pages, 920 KiB  
Article
The Impact of EU Subsidies on the Competitiveness of Slovak Farms from the Perspective of Legal Form
by Ivana Kravčáková Vozárová and Rastislav Kotulič
Agriculture 2024, 14(8), 1300; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14081300 - 7 Aug 2024
Viewed by 909
Abstract
Supporting the competitiveness of farms is one of the main priorities of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy. Therefore, the analysis of transfer efficiency is an important element in the policy evaluation process. The primary aim of this partial research was to evaluate [...] Read more.
Supporting the competitiveness of farms is one of the main priorities of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy. Therefore, the analysis of transfer efficiency is an important element in the policy evaluation process. The primary aim of this partial research was to evaluate the development of farms’ competitiveness in Slovakia, considering the financial support from the European Union and focusing on the legal form perspective. We assessed farm competitiveness using the Recourse Cost Ratio coefficient, which compares costs and revenues of entities in Slovakia’s agricultural sector from 2004 to 2019. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences in competitiveness among farms based on their legal forms. From these findings, it is recommended that effective farm management is crucial for enhancing competitiveness, productivity, and profitability across all farms. Despite the specifics of individual legal forms of business, it is important to clarify that it is often the skills and abilities of the management of each enterprise that contribute to better acquisition of financial resources and also strengthen the competitive position of the farm in the market. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains)
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14 pages, 1740 KiB  
Article
Deep Learning Pricing of Processing Firms in Agricultural Markets
by Hamed Khalili
Agriculture 2024, 14(5), 712; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14050712 - 30 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1054
Abstract
The pricing behavior of agricultural processing firms in input markets has large impacts on farmers’ and processors’ prosperity as well as the overall market structure. Despite analytical approaches to food processors’ pricing in agricultural input markets, the need for models to represent complex [...] Read more.
The pricing behavior of agricultural processing firms in input markets has large impacts on farmers’ and processors’ prosperity as well as the overall market structure. Despite analytical approaches to food processors’ pricing in agricultural input markets, the need for models to represent complex market features is urgent. Agent-based models (ABMs) serve as computational laboratories to understand complex markets emerging from autonomously interacting agents. Yet, individual agents within ABMs must be equipped with intelligent learning algorithms. In this paper, we propose supervised and unsupervised learning agents to simulate the pricing behavior of firms in agricultural markets’ ABMs. Supervised learning firms are pre-trained to accurately best respond to their competitors and are deemed to result in the market Nash equilibria. Unsupervised learning firms play a course of pricing interaction with their competitors without any pre-knowledge but based on deep reinforcement learning. The simulation results show that unsupervised deep learning firms are capable of approximating the pricing equilibria obtained by the supervised firms in different spatial market settings. Optimal discriminatory and uniform delivery pricing emerges in agricultural input markets with the high and intermediary importance placed on space. Free on board pricing emerges in agricultural input markets with small importance placed on space. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains)
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17 pages, 644 KiB  
Article
Impacts of the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 on Listed Agrifood Enterprises: A Financial Statement Perspective
by Jianxiong Chen, Chung-Cheng Yang and Yu Lin
Agriculture 2024, 14(5), 677; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14050677 - 26 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1167
Abstract
The Chinese government promulgated the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 to provide scientific guidance for agrifood consumption and enhance nutrition intake. We categorized the sample into pre-2018 and post-2018 periods. By evaluating the effects of the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 through economic theory and [...] Read more.
The Chinese government promulgated the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 to provide scientific guidance for agrifood consumption and enhance nutrition intake. We categorized the sample into pre-2018 and post-2018 periods. By evaluating the effects of the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 through economic theory and a translog revenue function model based on financial statement data from 2015 to 2022, our findings indicate that the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 has increased the overall agrifood sales of listed agrifood enterprises, but the increase in agrifood sales produced by large listed agrifood enterprises has been slight. Finally, we offer policy recommendations for regulatory authorities and develop strategies for agrifood firms to encourage local food procurement. This study also contributes to our understanding of China’s agrifood industry dynamics and underscores the significance of the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 in enhancing nutritional intake and fostering sustainable growth in China’s agriculture industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains)
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29 pages, 1912 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Adoption of Blockchain Technology in Agri-Food Supply Chains: Analysis of an Extended UTAUT Model
by Diana-Cezara Toader, Corina Michaela Rădulescu and Cezar Toader
Agriculture 2024, 14(4), 614; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14040614 - 15 Apr 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3458
Abstract
Against a backdrop of globalization, dynamic shifts in consumer demand, and climate change impact, the intricacies of agri-food supply chains have become increasingly convoluted, necessitating innovative measures to guarantee agri-food security and authenticity. Blockchain technology emerges as a promising solution, offering transparency, immutability, [...] Read more.
Against a backdrop of globalization, dynamic shifts in consumer demand, and climate change impact, the intricacies of agri-food supply chains have become increasingly convoluted, necessitating innovative measures to guarantee agri-food security and authenticity. Blockchain technology emerges as a promising solution, offering transparency, immutability, traceability, and efficiency in the overall supply chain. This study aims to investigate determinants impacting both the intention to use and the actual usage of blockchain-driven agri-food supply chain platforms. To achieve this, an expanded and adapted conceptual model rooted in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was formulated and empirically examined through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling using data from 175 respondents from agri-food companies across eight European countries. Agri-Food Supply Chain Partner Preparedness (FSCPP) emerged as the pivotal factor with the highest degree of influence on the intention to use blockchain-driven supply chain platforms. Additionally, the results from this study offer support for the significant influence of Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE), and Perceived Trust (PT) on usage intention, while also revealing the positive impact of Organizational Blockchain Readiness (OBR) on expected Usage Behavior (UB). This study provides significant insights into blockchain adoption within agri-food supply chains, contributing to the existing literature through an extended UTAUT framework. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains)
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14 pages, 520 KiB  
Article
How Competitive Is the Agriculture in European Union Member States? An Assessment of Changes over the Past Decade
by Anna Nowak and Aneta Zakrzewska
Agriculture 2024, 14(4), 612; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14040612 - 13 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1494
Abstract
The need to monitor changes in the level of agricultural competitiveness of EU member states necessitates the development of an appropriate set of indicators to answer the question of whether a country is improving its competitive position. This paper proposes a synthetic measure [...] Read more.
The need to monitor changes in the level of agricultural competitiveness of EU member states necessitates the development of an appropriate set of indicators to answer the question of whether a country is improving its competitive position. This paper proposes a synthetic measure for assessing the agricultural competitiveness in the member states of the European Union (EU) from 2012 to 2021. Statistics on the respective indicators were derived from the Eurostat database and Agri-Food Data Portal. The survey was based on linear ordering using a standardised sums approach. This implies that member states vary in competitiveness in the agricultural sector. From 2012 to 2021, the most competitive countries were Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Simultaneously, the rankings of agricultural competitiveness changed over the 10 years under review. The highest improvement rates were recorded in Finland, Slovakia, and Ireland. However, the differences between the old and new member states are still explicit. None of the new member states of the EU were in the top ten with regard to their agricultural competitiveness. Many areas associated with agriculture in these countries require considerable improvement. We also carried out a principal component analysis (PCA), which allowed us to identify the parameters conveying relevant information on the analysed phenomenon and unveil the hidden structures in the primary data set. We discovered that the share of the EU’s agricultural output in the EU exports of agricultural products explained variations in the agricultural competitiveness within member states. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains)
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20 pages, 823 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Agricultural Global Value Chain Participation on Agricultural Total Factor Productivity
by Defeng Zhang and Zhilu Sun
Agriculture 2023, 13(11), 2151; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13112151 - 15 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2532
Abstract
Under the condition of opening up, participation in international specialization and global value chains (GVCs) has become the main source for more and more countries to obtain foreign resources and advanced technologies, thereby promoting productivity improvement and technological progress. What are the pathways [...] Read more.
Under the condition of opening up, participation in international specialization and global value chains (GVCs) has become the main source for more and more countries to obtain foreign resources and advanced technologies, thereby promoting productivity improvement and technological progress. What are the pathways of agricultural GVC participation that affect agricultural total factor productivity (TFP)? Is the impact of agricultural GVC participation on agricultural TFP consistent across different statuses and modes of agricultural GVC participation? This paper elaborates on the theoretical mechanism of agricultural GVC participation affecting agricultural TFP, and then empirically estimates the impact of different statuses and modes of agricultural GVC participation on agricultural TFP by taking 58 countries as examples. The results show that agricultural GVCs affect agricultural TFP by several direct and indirect pathways. There was a U-shaped relationship between agricultural GVC participation and agricultural TFP, which means that after crossing a certain threshold, the former has a positive impact on the latter. By participating in agricultural GVCs, agricultural TFP in high-income and upper-middle-income countries was significantly improved, while in lower-middle-income countries it was not. Both forward and backward agricultural GVC participation were conducive to improving agricultural TFP in high-income and upper-middle-income countries, but only backward agricultural GVC participation was conducive to improving agricultural TFP in lower-middle-income countries. Therefore, every country needs to actively explore its optimal pathway to participate in agricultural GVCs in order to maximize the participation benefits and promote the improvement in agricultural TFP, simultaneously. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains)
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Review

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29 pages, 5794 KiB  
Review
Digital Technology Increases the Sustainability of Cross-Border Agro-Food Supply Chains: A Review
by Gaofeng Wang, Shuai Li, Yang Yi, Yingying Wang and Changhoon Shin
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 900; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060900 - 6 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2883
Abstract
The increasing prominence of climate change, geopolitical crises, and global economic slowdown highlights the challenges and structural deficiencies of traditional cross-border agro-food supply chains. As a result, there has been a growing consensus on the need to leverage digital technology to rebuild and [...] Read more.
The increasing prominence of climate change, geopolitical crises, and global economic slowdown highlights the challenges and structural deficiencies of traditional cross-border agro-food supply chains. As a result, there has been a growing consensus on the need to leverage digital technology to rebuild and innovate a safe, stable, and sustainable global food system. This study assessed the knowledge progress and development trends in the sustainable development of cross-border agro-food supply chains enabled by digital technology. A total of 352 authoritative papers from the core Web of Science database were selected for analysis. The Citespace tool was utilized to visually examine research elements. The findings reveal that research outcomes in this territory experienced a significant period of rapid growth, particularly after 2020. Sustainability and IEEE Access are the journals with the highest and second-highest number of publications. China and the France National Institute are the countries and research institutions with the largest number of publications in this field. The research hotspots are mainly the application of digital technologies, food safety, and supply chain system model innovation. In the past ten years, the research in this territory has gone through three stages: precise timeliness orientation, intelligent strategic decision-making orientation, and model predictability orientation. We further construct the ‘antecedent–practice–performance’ conceptual framework of the sustainability of the digital technology-enabled cross-border agro-food supply chain. Finally, this paper presents the potential research directions in this territory, focusing on four aspects: research method, research mechanism, research topic, and research frontier. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Agricultural Markets and Agrifood Supply Chains In Nepal
Authors: Zhen You
Affiliation: Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resource Research, CAS

Title: Strengthening the co-creation through the development of short food supply chains
Authors: Vilma Atkočiūnienė; Jurgita Zaleckienė; Rita Toločkienė
Affiliation: Vytautas Magnus University
Abstract: The article reveals the essence of co-creation, as well as the factors determining its development and their importance. The sustainable food strategy of the European Union “From field to table” and its components are discussed. Co-creation between producers and consumers is discussed, what groups of definitions are distinguished when interpreting co-creation. When developing co-creation, what value is created for all parties participating in co-creation, and what challenges arise when developing co-creation. The purpose of the article is to present solutions that strengthen co-creation in the development of short food supply chains. Research methods: analysis of scientific literature sources and analysis of generalization, secondary information sources, qualitative semi-structured interview method and observation method, quantitative research method - questionnaire survey.

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