http://www.agrifoodecon.com The latest research articles published by Agricultural and Food Economics 2013-05-21T00:00:00Z A window of opportunity to promote organic farming is open for the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) that joined the EU in 2004. The development of organic farming has the potential to decrease the amount of nutrient leaching to the Baltic Sea and could help to stop the environmental degradation of the Sea. However, this requires a diverse set of institutions. This paper explores the institutions that are lacking to promote the full development of organic farming in the CEEC, using Sweden as a baseline reference. A case study approach, formalised by introducing a set of indicators, has been used to identify the missing institutions. Data have been obtained from a desktop study, including a literature review, interviews and a questionnaire. The case studies partially support previous studies proposing that the development of organic farming proceeds along six steps: establishment of an organic farming community; establishment of political recognition; establishment of financial support; establishment of non-competitive relationships between the organic sector and general agricultural institutions; establishment of an organic food market; and development of a discussion and coordination arena. The results show that market development is the least developed step and that there is a correlation between higher governmental engagement and a more developed organic sector. http://www.agrifoodecon.com/content/1/1/5 Markus Larsson Louise Morin Thomas Hahn Johanna Sandahl Agricultural and Food Economics 2013, null:5 2013-05-21T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/2193-7532-1-5 /content/figures/2193-7532-1-5-toc.gif Agricultural and Food Economics 2193-7532 ${item.volume} 5 2013-05-21T00:00:00Z PDF Sardinia (Italy) is one of the most important European regions for sheep dairy and sheep milk cheese production. However the Sardinian sheep dairy industry is currently going through a dramatic crisis, and verifying whether it can recover part of its profitability is now a priority. Attention is now focused on estimating whether the sheep dairy firms can improve their productivity by more efficient use of their available technical resources. This paper aims to estimate technical efficiency in the Sardinian sheep dairy industry. A stochastic frontier analysis approach was used on panel data from 36 sheep dairy firms over the period 2004–2009 in order to assess whether there are some margins for technical improvements in productivity, given the existing level of technology. A comparative analysis of private firms and cooperatives was also carried out, in order to establish if there were differences in the technology they used and/or their efficiency in using technical inputs. Our findings suggest that there is technological homogeneity among the firms and between private firms and cooperatives. Technical efficiency is equal to 0.905 and it is significantly different between private firms (0.933) and cooperatives (0.877). Our findings have certain implications for what policies should be implemented in order to improve efficiency in the sector and on the orientation of decision makers strategies. http://www.agrifoodecon.com/content/1/1/4 Roberto Furesi Fabio Madau Pietro Pulina Agricultural and Food Economics 2013, null:4 2013-05-15T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/2193-7532-1-4 /content/figures/2193-7532-1-4-toc.gif Agricultural and Food Economics 2193-7532 ${item.volume} 4 2013-05-15T00:00:00Z XML International companies take part in many tenders for agro-industrial projects in the Commonwealth of Independent States and Eastern European countries. The market for these projects is analyzed and found to be favorable for companies and developers. Major projects developed in recent years are presented and evaluated in terms of financial performance. Additionally, a method of project evaluation by profit sensitivity to risk criterion is proposed. In this method, the approximate formula for profit sensitivity to risk (when basic production and market assumptions change simultaneously) is derived using a cost-volume-profit model. This method allows minimal calculations to explain profit sensitivity and elasticity within the usual indicators of business planning: operational profitability and degree of operating leverage. The consistency of project ranking is examined using Cronbach's alpha and correlation coefficients. The ranks obtained by various performance criteria are found to be consistent with each other, but not with those obtained by profit sensitivity to risk. In terms of elasticity, project profitability is a much stronger influence than the degree of operating leverage on profit sensitivity to risk. http://www.agrifoodecon.com/content/1/1/3 Gregory Yom Din Agricultural and Food Economics 2013, null:3 2013-05-15T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/2193-7532-1-3 /content/figures/2193-7532-1-3-toc.gif Agricultural and Food Economics 2193-7532 ${item.volume} 3 2013-05-15T00:00:00Z XML This paper examines the effect of land market liberalization on the dynamics of capital accumulation. It is shown that the land market liberalization, which is accompanied with the transfer of agricultural technology, may not always offer a “win‐win” outcome for developed and developing countries. Improved agricultural productivity generates a growth enhancing externality. However, land market liberalization affects the balance between the equalizing force of the diminishing returns technology and the un‐equalizing force of the low income elasticity of the agricultural commodity demand. As a result, land market liberalization accompanied with the transfer of agricultural productivity, may not always guarantee a “win‐win” outcome for developed and developing countries. If improvement of agricultural productivity is insignificant then land market liberalization can cause “win‐lose” situation for developed and developing countries. This result suggests that one should be very careful in a policy proposal designed to foster the process of development through foreign land ownership. It is important to recognize that apart from benefits, foreign land ownership also creates a disadvantage for capital accumulation and causes the magnification of the world income inequality.JEL classificationF43, O11, R14 http://www.agrifoodecon.com/content/1/1/2 George Vachadze Agricultural and Food Economics 2013, null:2 2013-05-15T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/2193-7532-1-2 /content/figures/2193-7532-1-2-toc.gif Agricultural and Food Economics 2193-7532 ${item.volume} 2 2013-05-15T00:00:00Z XML Inaugural issue introduction http://www.agrifoodecon.com/content/1/1/1 Alessandro Banterle Andrea Marchini Erik Mathijs Carlo Russo Decio Zylbersztajn Agricultural and Food Economics 2013, null:1 2013-05-15T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/2193-7532-1-1 /content/figures/2193-7532-1-1-toc.gif Agricultural and Food Economics 2193-7532 ${item.volume} 1 2013-05-15T00:00:00Z XML