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The effect of a range of storage temperatures on produce condition was studied. Two or three cultivars or peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, strawberries, grapes, pears, peppers, one cultivar of blackberries, tomatoes, and cabbages were chosen for the experiment. The storage temperatures (21°C, 15°C, 10°C, 4°C, 0°C) and humidity (about 80% RH) were maintained during the experiment. Observations were made on weight loss, total loss, disease, appearance and visual storage life. Percent weight loss among cultivars was not significantly different (5% level) for most of the produce (two-way factorial arrangement), but date of harvest resulted in a significant difference in percent weight loss of peppers. The range of percent weight loss varied, depending on the type of the produce. Berries lost moisture faster than other fruits. Rate of moisture loss decreased as storage time increased. Beginning at 4°C, for every 5°C rise of temperature, percent weight loss roughly doubled for most of the produce. Total loss in this study was mostly caused by physiological disorders related to ripening and aging in the long storage period and decay caused by fungi on produce stored at high temperatures. The length of storage life was ascertained for cultivars studied. / M.S.

Thesis (M.Sc. Agric. (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / Agriculture is the backbone and a very important sector of the South African economy. This is because it provides food and employment to a lot of people in the country especially those living in the rural areas. Smallholder farmers also play an important role in livelihood creation and also alleviation of poverty among the population in Limpopo province, but despite this, their productivity is low. A decline in agricultural productivity reduces market access resulting from low quality and quantity of produce by smallholder farmers which invariably affect their accessibility to market. This study therefore examined the determinants of market access and productivity among smallholder maize farmers in Lepelle-Nkumpi municipality using the Probit model and Cobb Douglass production functions. While the Probit regression model was used to analyse the effect of socioeconomic characteristics of smallholder maize farmers on market access, the Cobb Douglass production function was used to examine the determinants of productivity among the farmers in the study area. The results of the Probit regression analysis indicated that farm size, hired labour and maize produced per hectare had positive significant influence on probability of farmers accessing markets. Farm size and maize produced per hectare were statistically significant at 1% and hired labour was statistically significant at 5%. The results of Cobb Douglas Production Function indicated that the elasticities of market access, farm experience, fertilizers, capital and membership of association were significant and positive. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that farmers should be provided with market infrastructure and marketing information services. This will help the farmers in a way that the transaction cost will be minimised and farmers will not incur more cost when they participate in the markets. Farmers in the study area indicated that transportation cost is the major challenge facing them. This is because of the poor conditions of roads in the study area. Therefore, the study recommends that there should be inputs subsidy that helps farmers to improve their productivity.

This study examines recent evidence of growth and deterioration in the geography of Quebec agriculture. An explanation is sought in the changing food market linkages between producers and consumers. To this end the nature of consumer demand, the conduct and marketing strategies of processors and retailers, their productivity and competitiveness are reviewed in turn. / It is shown that the market system is inherently dynamic and increased vertical control is identified as a key factor. Its role in the process of change is explained in terms of the joint working of economic and political forces. Much policy is found inadvertently to reinforce existing trends. An explanation is suggested in the failure to recognise the complexity of the market process. As a result structural rigidity now threatens the market system. All this is directly evidenced in the spatial characteristics of the farm landscape. Policies are suggested to resolve the issue and strengthen the farm sector.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2007. / Title from title screen (site viewed Oct. 10, 2007). PDF text: xv, 325 p. : ill. UMI publication number: AAT 3258775. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

No description available.

This study was designed to compare the price levels of the Northern and Southern marketing areas and to determine if the returns to Virginia vegetable growers would be increased if more shipments were made to the Southern area. Six crops, snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes, were studied during 1954, 1955, and 1956. Eighteen consecutive weeks beginning near the first of June were studied during each year. Price and quantity data were collected from the daily market reports of New York, Baltimore, and Atlanta. Additional data on shipments of the six crops from Virginia were collected from Eastern Virginia vegetable producers. The prices which Virginia vegetable growers received for their produce in the terminal markets were found to be within a 25 percent range of the weekly terminal market median prices for 74 percent of the shipments where comparisons could be made. The price level in the Southern market was significantly higher than in the Northern market for snap beans, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes. There was no difference between the Northern and Southern market price levels for cabbage and sweet corn at the desired confidence level, but the Southern market price level was found to be higher at the 20 percent confidence level. The analysis of the two Northern markets indicates that no significant difference existed in the price levels of these markets for any of the crops. This relationship could not be accepted at the desired confidence level for cabbage, peppers, and tomatoes because the price variances were not homogeneous. After deducting transportation costs from Virginia to the respective markets, the highest net price to Virginia vegetable growers for most crops was available more often from the Southern market than in the Northern market. The study of these net prices in conjunction with the shipments by Virginia growers during the same period indicated that even though higher returns could have been realized from shipments to the Southern marketing area, Virginia growers generally did not take advantage of them. Some significant relationships between price and quantity arriving on the market were found. However, a few of the relationships did not conform to the traditional inverse relationships of the factors as expressed economic theory. Such results indicate that the data may not have been suitable for this type analysis. Complete data on the price of each unit and the total number of units in the markets should give a more reliable supply and demand relationship. Although the weekly period proved satisfactory for determining the differences in price levels of the markets, the use of such a period imposes serious limitations on the analysis of price and quantity relationships. If marketing decisions generally are made on the basis of the relative prices of the previous day or two days on the markets, the weekly period may average out many of the pertinent differences. Even though the demand in the Southern market was usually more elastic than in the Northern market, the price in the Southern market was found to generally be more responsive to a given change in quantity arriving on the market. This responsiveness of price to varying quantities arriving on the market was primarily a function of the difference in the size of the markets. The elasticity of demand of the markets was found to be of secondary importance in determining the responsiveness of price. The greatest difference in price responsiveness between the markets was for peppers. They were much more responsive to changes in the quantity arriving in the Southern market than in the Northern market. The prices of snap beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes are also more responsive to quantity changes in the Southern market. The price of sweet corn was found to be more responsive to additional carlot arrivals in the Northern market. Cabbage was not used in the calculations because the preliminary results did not conform to economic theory. / Master of Science

While there is growing public concern over the safety of the food supply, few studies have contrasted varying perceptions of pesticide risk. This study assessed and contrasted perceptions of three groups of Oregon State University Extension Service clientele (home food preservers, Master Gardener volunteers, commercial growers) and factors influencing these perceptions. The impact of the pesticide risk perceptions on purchasing decisions and pesticide application practices was assessed. Two questionnaires were developed: one for home food preservers/Master Gardener volunteers and one for commercial growers. One hundred twenty-seven questionnaires were completed by a convenience sample of home food preservers (85% adjusted return rate) and 155 questionnaires were completed by randomly selected Oregon State University Master Gardener volunteers (81% adjusted return rate). A shortened version of the questionnaire was completed by 124 participants at the annual meeting of Willamette Valley Processed Vegetable Growers. Home preservers were 84% female (mean age=49 ± 14 years), volunteers were 50% female/50% male (mean age=56 ±14 years), and commercial growers were 95% male (mean age=42 ± 11 years). Three different measures of pesticide risk perceptions were used to test six hypotheses: Respondents rated 1) "eating foods produced using pesticides" as high, low, or no risk, and agreed/disagreed (on Likert scales) whether 2) "chemical residues remaining on produce are a major health concern," and 3) "children are at a greater risk for illness from pesticides than adults." Produce selection decisions, pesticide application practices, life stages, gender, media awareness, and knowledge of agricultural production techniques and practices were also assessed to determine their relationship with risk perceptions. Perceptions of risk varied among the three groups. Fifty-five percent of preservers rated "eating foods produced using pesticides" as a "high" risk compared to 34% of volunteers and 2% of growers. Thirty-four percent of preservers strongly agreed that "chemical residues remaining on produce are a major health concern" compared to 25% of volunteers and 7% of growers. Forty-six percent of preservers strongly agreed that "children are at a greater risk of illness from pesticides than adults" compared to 42% of volunteers. Fifty-two percent of growers strongly/ somewhat agreed that children are at no greater risk. Gender was significantly associated with respondents' perceptions. Eighty-nine percent of preservers rating the risk of "eating food produced using pesticides" as "high" were female as were 65% of volunteers. Female volunteers moderately agreed that "chemical residues remaining on produce are a major health concern" compared to males who tended to neither agree nor disagree. The presence of children living in the home was significantly related to the volunteers' perceptions that chemicals are a major health concern and that children are at greater risk. Preservers and growers' results indicated there were no significant differences. Awareness of pesticide reports in the media was measured by recall of four media events. Media awareness was significantly associated with preservers' perceptions that eating foods produced with pesticides was "high" risk and that children are at a greater risk for illness because of pesticide residues. There was no media association for either volunteers or growers. Influence of risk perceptions on produce purchase decisions was measured with a series of questions about past, present, and future purchases. Results indicated that volunteers' pesticide risk perceptions were significantly related to more produce selection decisions than were home food preservers. The risk perception measure that "chemical residues remaining on produce are a major health concern" was most significantly associated with purchase decisions for both preservers and volunteers. For preservers and volunteers there were significant relationships between all three measures of pesticide risk perceptions and three of the twelve purchase decisions tested. Those who perceived a higher risk were 1) more willing to pay a higher price for certified residue free produce, 2) more concerned about pesticide residues when buying imported produce, and 3) intended to purchase produce grown without synthetic pesticides even if it costs more. Knowledge of agricultural practices was measured by a set of five questions. Mean scores ranged from 0.9 ± 0.9 for preservers to 1.6 ± 1.0 for volunteers out of a possible 5.0. Volunteers' with higher scores were significantly more likely to agree that chemicals are a major health concern and that children are at a greater risk of illness from pesticide residues. No significant associations were seen for preservers. Pesticide application practices were significantly related to pesticide risk perceptions. Preservers and volunteers who generally perceived the risks as "high" reported not using pesticides. Preservers reporting changes in application practices moderately agreed chemical residues are a major health concern while volunteers' reporting changes in application practices strongly agreed that children are at higher risk than adults. Growers tended to disagree that pesticides are a major health concern and they were less concerned that children are at a greater risk from pesticides. The study concluded that the home food preservers and Master Gardener volunteers perceived the risks associated with pesticides and produce as much higher than commercial vegetable growers. This difference in perceptions is reflected in some of their produce selection decisions and pesticide application practices. Children living at home, gender, media awareness, and knowledge of agricultural practices were associated with the pesticide risk perceptions of these Extension clientele. Results suggest that educational programming to increase knowledge about pesticide usage in agricultural production is warranted. There is also a need to foster better communications among groups with differing points of views about pesticide residue risks. / Graduation date: 1994

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