Search

Demand for perishable food is sensitive to product prices and is affected by the prices of similar or alternative products. While brand loyalty influences the demand for products, determining a reasonable price requires a precise pricing strategy. In this paper, a pricing model for perishable food is presented in which the brand value of the product and the price of other manufacturers as competitors are considered. To this end, this study first predicts the price of competitors using a combination of optimized Neural Networks and presents an optimized model using a Genetic Algorithm. This algorithm combines a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and a Genetic Algorithm (GA). The proposed model is then used to merge with a game-theory model for the pricing of perishable foods. In this game-theory model, pricing approaches are developed based on identified prices of competitors. In the coordination contract game-theory model, Multi Retailer- one Supplier and Price-sensitive demand of Perishable product are developed with and without quantity discount contract. Obtained results indicate that independent procurement provides retailers with higher profit, while lower profit will be presented when coordination is not considered. Also, with coordination, the ordering cycle increases, and the ordering frequency decrease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of great changes in the food industry, the aim of this research is to investigate if and how the implementation of 4.0 enabling technologies can enhance the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the food sector. A systematic literature review, using a combination of 12 keywords, was carried out on Scopus database with defined inclusion and exclusion criteria in order to answer four selected research questions. Overall, 50 relevant papers were retrieved and analysed by Mendeley and Excel with descriptive statistics. VOSviewer was used for co-occurrence and co-authorship analysis. Results illustrate that the interest in the topic has grown, in particular in Italy, and resume the benefits achievable by the implementation of 4.0 technologies in food industries. Social impacts are new job positions, ergonomic design of workplaces, changes in educational institutions, improved nutrition and better animal welfare. Positive aspects are related even to economic growth, improving food chain performances and decreasing companies' costs. Finally, it allows energy, water, CO2 emissions and food savings. Overall, the work provides a helpful overview to food manufacturers and producers, recommending the introduction of I4.0 technologies to positively influence the sustainable development of the sector and remain competitive in the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retailer price promotions, and in particular multi-unit deals such as the ubiquitous "buy one, get one," are often criticized as a cause of food waste, presumably because they lure households into buying more than they can realistically consume. In this research, the authors combine field data and experiments to provide the first systematic test of this claim. The field data, which span eight frequently purchased perishable foods, show no evidence of a positive relationship between single-unit or multi-unit price promotions and food waste. In fact, households that took advantage of a multi-unit deal reported wasting less than did households paying regular prices (RPs), but only when the quantity purchased was larger than usual. Given this result, and that households also reported consuming and freezing more, the authors hypothesize that promotion-induced overbuying triggers a concern for food waste that encourages waste prevention. One experiment finds support for this mechanism. A second experiment shows that the effect on food waste concerns is moderated by perishability and versatility but unaffected by convenience and healthiness. Overall, then, this research invites regulators and other professionals to rethink their stance on price promotions and work with retailers to design smart campaigns that motivate waste awareness and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers have an aversion to purchasing near-expiry food products, which leads to enormous food waste and economic loss. Given the importance of this issue, past research has studied the effect of impending expiration date on product sales, but its focus has been limited to perishable food products. Since the expiration dates of non-perishable food products are treated as less important than those of perishable food products, we expect that the resulting effect on sales largely varies by shopping environment. With the growing importance of online shopping in food sales, we examine how the effect of impending expiration date differs between mobile and PC shopping environments. By analyzing a unique data set from an online salvage store, we find that consumer aversion toward near-expiry products is more salient in the PC shopping environment than in the mobile shopping environment. However, when there is a deeper price promotion, the between-channel difference is reduced as the sensitivity of an impending expiration date on sales increases in the mobile shopping environment. These findings not only represent novel contributions to the literature but also provide managerial implications for practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As nations progress, the impact of climate change on food prices becomes increasingly substantial. While the influence of climate change on the yields of major agricultural products is widely recognized, its specific effect on food prices remains uncertain. This study delves into the impact of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index, a well-established climate indicator, on global food prices. To accomplish this, a robust bivariate Hurst exponent (robust bHe) is applied. The study employs a sliding windows approach across various time scales to produce a color map of this coefficient, presenting a time-varying version. Furthermore, variable-lag transfer entropy with a sliding windows approach is utilized to discern causal relationships between the NAO index and international food prices. The findings reveal that significant increases in the NAO index are correlated with noteworthy upswings in various international food prices over both short and long-term periods. Additionally, variable-lag transfer entropy confirms the causal role of the NAO index in influencing international food prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the structural self-similarity observed in global food prices, focusing specifically on key commodities such as olive oil, eggs, bread, chicken, and beef. Employing Segmented Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (SMF-DFA), we investigate the multifractal intricacies within the price dynamics of these essential food items. SMF-DFA facilitates a detailed examination of piecewise self-similarity, delineating segments by change-points and offering a nuanced understanding of the complex structures inherent in global market prices. Furthermore, our proposal incorporates Levene's test to examine whether the volatility differs significantly among the segments separated by change-points, thereby enhancing the robustness of this analytical stage. This study surpasses conventional methods, providing valuable insights into the multifractal characteristics of food prices across various scales. These findings contribute to a deeper comprehension of the intricate patterns governing global food prices, crucial for decision-making in agricultural economics, financial markets, and the dynamics of global trade. • The structural self-similarity in global food prices is studied. • We use a segmented multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (SMF-DFA) for this aim. • SMF-DFA allows a piecewise multifractal analysis tools. • Levene's test, introduced for variance inequality, enhances the proposal's robustness. • The study offers vital insights for decision-making in agriculture and global trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural water productivity is crucial for sustainability amidst the escalating demand for food. Cereals are pivotal in providing nutritious food at affordable prices. This study was based on Ghanaian data spanning from 1992 to 2021 to evaluate water usage in the cultivation of major cereals. It also examined the virtual water losses or gains in cereal trade alongside influencing factors. The analysis utilized secondary data encompassing the virtual water content, production quantity, export and import quantities, distance, GDP per capita, population, and land per capita of Ghana and its 75 trade partners. In the last 5 years, crop water use (CWU) reached an average of 7.08 billion m3/yr for maize, 3.48 billion m3/yr for rice, 1.08 billion m3/yr for sorghum, and 0.63 billion m3/yr for millet production. Ghana's major partners for exported virtual water (EVW) were Niger, Burkina Faso, South Africa, and Togo. Major partners for imported virtual water (IVW) were Argentina, South Africa, Ukraine, Togo, Russia, Burkina Faso, Canada, Senegal, Nigeria, Portugal, UK, Niger, and the USA. The Panel Least Squares Method of regression was used to apply the Gravity Model principle in assessing influencing factors. The findings indicate that Ghana is a net importer of virtual water in the cereal trade, with significant influences from geographical distance, GDP per capita, population, land per capita, and cereal water use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the different perspectives on the causes of famines, specifically the neo-Malthusian and Senian theories. The author proposes a theory that combines these perspectives and provides a framework for understanding famines. They argue that understanding scarcity, abundance, and sufficiency is crucial for famine research. The author also addresses criticisms of their own work, particularly regarding the Bengal famine of 1943, and emphasizes the importance of constructive criticism in scholarly work. [Extracted from the article]

The 2007–08 global food crisis led to hunger riots around the world. Food prices have again risen spectacularly since the COVID-19 pandemic but have fortunately not led to major social unrest in the global South. In this research note, we argue that the difference lies, in part, in the nature of the two price shocks and, in part, in the policy response from governments and international organizations. This time round, the stability of rice prices appears to have dampened the impact of food inflation in major rice-importing countries. This pattern of global rice price is in sharp contrast to that seen in 2008 when the price tripled between January and May. The two food crises also differ substantially in the extent and responsiveness of public policy. Right from March 2020, governments began taking fiscal and administrative measures to help the populations suffering from the loss of livelihood. Nonetheless, food inflation remains a concern, and prolonged conflict in Ukraine and the ongoing inflation spiral could put in jeopardy the mitigating effects of anti-inflationary policy measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand (NZ) specific research assessing price changes of accessible lower-cost foods which also meet healthy eating guidelines for children is sparse. We aimed to develop an Excel™ tool to retrospectively assess weekly costs of commonly purchased lower-cost foods for children and households from 2018, and update in close to real-time. Lower-cost foods from the monthly reports from StatsNZ were grouped into food baskets that met eating guidelines, nutrient and energy requirements by age and sex. Repeated iterations created healthy food baskets from 62 lower-cost foods, prices were tracked, and costs for households and individuals were compared to household income. For a household of two adults and two children of fixed age (7y female, 14y male), substantial (27%) increases in the price of the food basket were recorded between 2021 and 2023. When the nutritional requirements of children as they age were considered, there was a 54% ($5,663) increase in the low-cost healthy food basket price of $16,083/year in 2023 compared to $10,420/year in 2018 when the female was 2y and male 9y. The continual increase in food prices contributes to substantial financial shortfalls for households receiving government support and the potential food insecurity many face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining how the economy and society interact with the environment of water quality is essential to determining the financial impact of green development. Based on China's provincial panel data from 2010 to 2021, this research considers non-agricultural sources of water pollution (NASWP) as a negative factor of production, investigates its influence on the urban-rural divide, and explains the mechanism of action. The empirical results show that there is a significant correlation between NASWP and the urban-rural gap, with a "U-shaped" relationship between the two. Water pollution first reduces and then increases the urban-rural income gap, and the results are robust after considering endogeneity. Mechanistic research demonstrates that NASWP cause a loss in food output, which in combination with changes in food prices and food subsidy programs impacts the incomes of rural dwellers, thereby having an influence on the urban-rural income gap. Using the threshold effect model, it is discovered that under the combined influence of agricultural mechanization and food subsidy policy, the relationship between NASWP and urban-rural income divide exhibits an U-shape in areas with high agricultural mechanization and an "inverted U" shape in areas with low agricultural mechanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe recent upsurge in food prices in Sri Lanka has raised significant concerns, posing a threat to the food and nutritional security of the population. However, the causal factors driving this inflation still need to be better understood. Our study, utilizing Cointegration and Vector Error Correction Models (VECM), investigates the role of supply and demand-side determinants of food inflation. The study identified changes in exchange rate, agricultural wages, fuel prices, money supply, and fertilizer prices as key drivers of food inflation in Sri Lanka. Expansion of the money supply exerted the most substantial influence on food inflation in the long run. At the same time, changes in world market prices were found to be the most influential determinants of food inflation in the short run. Findings underscore the need for a comprehensive strategy that combines supply-side enhancements and demand-side management to control food inflation in Sri Lanka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese farmers, especially small ones, always sell their food at low prices during harvest season rather than storing it for a better price. Based on a theoretical framework of expected utility, this paper examines the mechanism by which risk perception affects farmers' timing choices of food sales and the role played by risk preference, utilizing data from the 2019 China Family Database and the China Household Finance Survey of farmers in six provinces of the main wheat-producing regions. This study shows that farmers with a high risk perception are more likely to choose current sales compared with intertemporal sales. The channel and mechanism analysis finds that increased risk perception leads to risky returns from intertemporal sales lower than certain returns from current sales in utility comparisons. It is further found that risk preference has a substitution effect on risk perception in farmers' intertemporal food sales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security is a strategic issue for densely populated areas like the Province of DKI Jakarta, which has limited agricultural land. This research aims to analyze the implementation of food security policies in DKI Jakarta, focusing on a case study of PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya (FSJT) as the policy implementer. The study employs a qualitative approach using literature review methods, with data collected from various written sources such as regional regulations, official reports, scientific publications, and related websites. Through content analysis and data source triangulation, this research identifies FSJT's success in maintaining food availability, improving food access, strengthening the distribution system, and supporting local farmers. However, the implementation of the policy also faces challenges such as land limitations, food price fluctuations, changing dietary patterns, and program sustainability. Supporting data shows FSJT's contribution to the reduction of the poverty rate in DKI Jakarta from 11.5% (2021) to 10.56% (2022), as well as the distribution of 1.2 million tons of rice in 2022. Surveys also noted that 82% of the public were satisfied with FSJT's performance in maintaining food availability. To enhance food security in the future, recommendations include the development of vertical farming, strengthening community food resilience, nutritional education campaigns, and diversification of food sources. Ongoing efforts through these measures are essential to ensure the effective implementation of food security policies and the sustainability of development in the Province of DKI Jakarta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that foreign policy events can sway voting intentions. While initial analyses have explored Germany’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its foreign policy implications, public perspectives on this matter remain relatively unexplored, despite visible consequences like soaring energy and food prices, and concerns about escalating the war. To address this gap, the article delves into how Germans’ attitudes towards NATO’s role in the Russian invasion and the supply of weapons to Ukraine impact their voting intentions. Drawing on GLES data, our research reveals that rejecting further weapons deliveries significantly increases support for the radical-right AfD. Conversely, endorsement of such deliveries sees increased support for the Greens, FDP, and CDU/CSU. No significant effects are observed for the SPD and the Left Party. Notably, attitudes towards NATO and weapons play a role in the likelihood of supporting a new party associated with former Left Party politician, Sahra Wagenknecht. Crucially, these effects persist even when considering socio-demographic and ideological factors, underscoring the pivotal role of these issues in shaping party competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiscal policies can shift relative food prices to encourage the purchase and consumption of minimally processed foods while discouraging the purchase and consumption of unhealthy ultraprocessed foods, high in calories and nutrients of concern (sodium, sugar, and saturated fats), especially for low-income households. The 2017–2018 packaged food purchase data among U.S. households were used to derive household income- and composition-specific demand elasticities across 22 food and beverage categories. Policy simulations, conducted in 2022–2023, assessed the impact of national taxes on unhealthy ultraprocessed food and beverage purchases, both separately and alongside subsidies for minimally processed foods and beverages targeted to low-income households. Resultant nutritional implications are reported on the basis of changes in purchased calories and nutrients of concern. In addition, financial implications for both households and the federal government are projected. A sugar-based tax on sugar-sweetened beverages would lower both volume and calories purchased with the largest impact on low-income households without children. Meanwhile, targeted subsidies would increase fruit, vegetable, and healthier drink purchases without substantially increasing calories. Under tax simulations, low-income households would make larger reductions in their absolute volume and calorie purchases of taxed foods and beverages than their higher-income counterparts, suggesting that these policies, if implemented, could help narrow nutritional disparities. Levying national taxes on unhealthy ultraprocessed foods/beverages and offering targeted subsidies for minimally processed foods/beverages could promote healthier food choices among low-income households. Such policies have the potential to benefit low-income households financially and at a relatively low cost for the federal government annually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agricultural Economics & Social Sciences is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This paper aims to examine whether China's grain price support policy has distorted the grain market price. Design/methodology/approach: The time-varying differences-in-differences (DID) model is used to study the impact of support policies on grain prices, and it is combined with the event study method to explore the dynamic effects of price support policy. Panel data model is used to study the effect of the price support policy on price formation for national grain market prices. In addition, we apply the smooth transformation (STR) model to verify whether there is a distortion in the transmission of grain prices among different markets in China and from the international market to China's market. Findings: China's grain price support policy plays a significant role in rising grain market prices, weakens the decisive role of the market mechanism in the formation of grain prices, hinders the spatial transmission of market price signals and decreases the effect of price transmission from the world market to China's market. Research limitations/implications: In order to ensure both the stability of grain production as well as the market stability, and also to ensure that intervention policies do not distort the food market, the minimum purchase price of grain and market regulation policies should be adjusted as follows: (1) price support policy should be shifted to an income support policy and (2) reasonably determine the scale of reserves and implement a grain minimum purchase price policy in limited areas. Originality/value: Our findings are relevant for understanding the effect of China's grain price support policies on the implementation regions and the price transmission effect, which provide reference experience for developing countries to implement food price policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food delivery applications have grown rapidly in recent years, fueled by increasing consumer demand for convenience and prepared foods. Previous studies on what factors encourage consumers to use delivery platforms rely largely on survey data, likely due to the lack of availability of restaurant or industry level data. Utilizing web-scraping techniques to collect restaurant level data from one of the biggest delivery applications in South Korea, Yogiyo, this study conducts an analysis on spatial market structure of the restaurant business. Through restaurant level data, market expansion, changes in the number of restaurants to order from, and changes in prices across regions with delivery application are considered. Analysis suggests that the average number of orderable restaurants increased from a nearby 2.3 restaurants to distant 13.5 restaurants with customers willingly paying for delivery fees according to distance via the delivery application. As the restaurant delivery market becomes spatially more competitive with an additional 13.5 restaurants, it is found that aggregate prices totaled with food prices and delivery fees from two restaurants in different locations converge to serve the customers between the two restaurants. In addition, the increased degree of competition due to increased number of restaurants leads the aggregate prices to decrease by between 5.13 and 7.56%, depending on regional characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the forecasting of domestic food price inflation (DFPI) using global indicators, with emphasis on episodes of macroeconomic turbulence, namely, the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent repercussions. Our monthly dataset covers about two decades for more than a hundred economies. We employ dynamic model averaging (DMA) to tackle both model uncertainty and parameter instability and produce pseudo out-of-sample forecasts. Thus, we are able to focus on the forecasting ability of the global predictors of DFPI before and during the global crises. We find evidence that the DMA specification tends to outperform statistical models frequently used in the literature such as random walks, autoregressive models, and time-varying parameter models, especially during global crises. We also identify the most successful predictors during the crises using their posterior probabilities of inclusion. By comparing the distributions of such probabilities, we find that the international food price inflation is the most useful predictor of DFPI for numerous countries during both crises. Other indicators such as domestic CPI inflation as well as the international inflation of agricultural commodities, fertilizers, and other food categories improved their forecasting ability, particularly during the COVID-19 period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofloc is one of the suitable alternatives for decreasing food costs and increasing the immunity of cultured organisms against pathogens and diseases. This research aims to isolate, identify, and screen bioflocculant bacterial candidates to optimize practices for enhanced water quality management. Twelve bacteria were obtained from incubated shrimp pond water. These bacteria were tested for their ability to produce biofloc using a newly developed combination of Biofloc Standard Mineral Water (BSMW) and Biofloc Standard Medium (BSM) in a laboratory setting, utilizing an Imhoff cone. A novel medium was used for the first time for identifying biofloc-producing bacteria. Strain KBF-103 exhibited rapid biofloc production within 24 hours, making it suitable for pond water application. Strain KBF-103 was identified using molecular via 16S rRNA sequencing and shows a close relation with the Bacillus cereus strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are ongoing concerns about food security, particularly around food affordability and the nutritional quality of diets in New Zealand. While recent food price inflation has sparked conversations about overall affordability, less attention has been directed toward understanding how variations in price increases across different food categories might impact nutrition and health. Using data from Statistics New Zealand on the prices of 85 food items between 2014 and 2023, we estimated 12-month moving averages of relative real prices of sweetened foods vis-à-vis those of five other food categories: dairy, fruits, vegetables, processed meats, and unprocessed meats. Non-parametric Mann-Kendall tests and linear regressions were used to assess the trends in relative food prices. The data show that sweetened foods have become relatively inexpensive over this period. On the premise that both absolute and relative prices are important in determining dietary choices and that these choices impact health, we consider the possible negative implications of these trends. Possible reasons for the recent trends and policies to meet the challenges they pose are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought, as a widespread natural calamity, leads to the most severe agricultural losses among all such disasters. Alterations in the yield of major global agricultural products are pivotal factors influencing food prices, food security, and land use decisions. China's rapidly expanding demand for sustenance will persist over the forthcoming decades, emphasizing the critical need for an accurate assessment of drought's impact on food production. Consequently, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the drought risk in China and its repercussions on agricultural output. Additionally, we delved into the underlying factors driving changes in yield for three primary grain crops (wheat, corn, and rice), which hold particular relevance for shaping effective strategies to mitigate future drought challenges. The findings divulge that both the number of drought months (DM) and the drought magnitude index (DMI) have displayed an upward trajectory over 60 years with a correlation coefficient of 0.96. The overall severity of meteorological drought has escalated across China, and it is particularly evident in regions such as the southwest and central parts of the Huang-Huai-Hai region, the northwestern middle region, and the Xinjiang region. Conversely, there has been some relief from drought conditions in southern China and the Yangtze River Delta. Shifts in the total grain output (TGO) during this period were compared: it underwent three stages, namely "fluctuating growth" (1961–1999), then a "sharp decline" (2000–2003), followed by "stable growth" (2004–2018). Similarly, changes in the grain planting area (GPA) experienced two stages, "continuous reduction" (1961–2003) succeeded by "stable growth" (2004–2018), while maintaining an upward trend for grain yield per unit area (GY) throughout. Furthermore, it was revealed that the drought grade serves as a significant constraint on continuous expansion within China's grain output—where the drought damage rate's influence on the TGO outweighs that from the GY. Our research outcomes play an instrumental role in deepening our comprehension regarding how drought impacts agricultural production within China while furnishing the scientific groundwork to devise efficacious policies addressing these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Jordan, medicines are priced by the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA), which mandates pharmacists to sell pharmaceutical products without any discounts or rebates. However, discounting drug prices in community pharmacies is commonplace. The present study aims to understand the motives and perceptions of pharmacists regarding drug price discounts in community pharmacies in Jordan. Methods: Qualitative interview sessions were conducted with a convenient sample of 20 community pharmacists. A total of 25 participants were interviewed, anonymized, and audio recorded. To ensure maximum comfort, respondents were given the option to choose the interview location or participate through audio-visual communication tools. The sessions followed a pre-designed interview guide focusing on discounts offered on prescription drugs in community pharmacies, pharmacists' experiences, and their attitudes toward these practices. Interview recordings were transcribed and analyzed thematically. Results: Three main themes emerged: patient-related factors, pharmacist-related factors, and rules and regulationsrelated factors, each with several subthemes. This study identified several barriers that hinder pharmacists’ adherence to medicine pricing policies in community pharmacies in Jordan, including psychosocial and economic factors, customer attraction and profit increase strategies, sales tactics, market share expansion, avoidance of medicine accumulation and expiration, and issues related to regulations and law enforcement. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that adherence to medicine pricing policies in community pharmacies in Jordan varies depending on different factors. Pharmacists may exhibit weak adherence under specific circumstances while demonstrating stronger adherence under others. This study provides insights that could inform the revision of regulations and laws governing pharmacy practices and adherence to pricing policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the many threats to food security, extremes of temperature, and unpredictable changes in temperature such as unseasonal frost or snowfall resulting from climate change have significant impacts on crop productivity and yields. It has been projected that for each increase by 1 °C of the global temperature, agricultural outputs of some staple food crops will decline by up to 3–8%. Alarmingly, reports from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have revealed that our earth experienced one of the warmest summers in 2022, indicating that temperature stress is not a threat that can be taken lightly. Global food prices have risen by more than 70% since the middle of 2020, however, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects that by 2027, the combined effects of climate change, conflict and poverty may lead to an additional rise in food prices by 8.5%. Taken together, the impacts of extreme temperatures on staple food supply amplify the risks of child malnutrition and food insecurity, especially in less-developed countries. This review offers a novel perspective on the intricate interplay between plant responses to heat and cold stresses, aiming to pave the way for innovative and efficient crop improvement programs crucial for ensuring a resilient and sustainable food supply in the face of climate change. A thorough and comprehensive understanding on plant mechanisms can effectively help agricultural industry to produce stress-resilient and climate-tolerant crops. Also, with the assistance from robust breeding techniques and genetic tools, the goal to achieve sustainable food supply chain can be attained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern communication technologies make information more easily and quickly accessible, leading to more transparent and competitive markets. Based on a theoretical model, this paper provides new empirical evidence on the potential impact of online search intensity on asymmetric cost pass‐through. Prices often move as 'rockets and feathers': they rise quickly in response to cost increases and they fall slowly in response to cost reductions. A panel threshold error correction model is applied to weekly producer and retail prices of chicken and mutton in Iran. The results suggest that the volume of online searches is associated with a more complete and less asymmetric cost pass‐through from farmgate to retail prices. Thus, online platforms and search engines have the potential to increase competition by bringing prices closer together and reducing profit margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the relationship between food and oil prices in Nigeria before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, using monthly data from January 2018 to December 2021. The ARDL and NARDL models are applied to estimate the symmetry and asymmetric relationship that exists in food price behavior. The NARDL confirms the presence of asymmetries, and the bound test affirms the co-integration and long-run relationship among the variables. In the long run, there is a significant positive relation between oil price increases and food prices, but the long-run impact of oil price reductions on food prices is not significant. In the short run, only increases in oil prices exert a significant influence on food prices, while decreases in oil prices do not. Furthermore, the COVID-19 period exerts a positive and significant impact on food prices, while COVID-19 cases do not influence food prices in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beginning in mid‐2021, U.S. food prices surged at the fastest pace in decades, due to pandemic‐related supply chain and labor shortages, rising transportation costs and wages, food commodity and fertilizer shocks resulting from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and perhaps demand‐side effects of recent monetary and fiscal stimulus. We decompose the path of domestic food prices into explanatory factors, grouped by supply or demand orientation. Our findings indicate that although supply‐side factors explain most of the observed price changes, the demand‐side factors we studied—particularly the money supply—have a stronger correlation with recent food price increases than they have, historically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of food prices on poverty in 37 sub‐Saharan African economies between 2001 and 2020. The study employed Prais‐Winsten regression, variations of the Fixed Effects model to account for conventional biases in econometric modeling, and the Method of Moment Quantile Regression with Fixed Effects to account for existing poverty levels. The findings revealed that a higher proportion of Africans will fall into poverty due to the increase in food prices. This result is consistent with the presence of endogeneity, cross‐sectional dependence, and unobservable heterogeneity. The study also reveals that the increase in food prices has a greater effect in sub‐Saharan African countries with lower levels of poverty as compared to those with high poverty levels, showing that rising food prices disproportionately hurt countries with low poverty levels, pushing more Africans below the poverty line in those countries. The study recommends the need for the implementation of supply‐side agricultural policies that enhance productivity in the sector, thereby boosting aggregate agricultural supply and precipitating a decline in food prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Canada, the task of explaining food prices falls to a handful of grey literature reports that shape media coverage and public understanding and carry significant political and policy influence. We performed an in-depth analysis of fifty-one of these influential reports, including thirty-nine reports by Statistics Canada (including Consumer Price Index reports and other studies) and twelve reports from the Canada Food Price Report (CFPR) series. Our goal was twofold: 1) to identify and classify the various explanations given for food price changes, and 2) to evaluate the scientific rigor of these explanations. We identified 232 total explanations for food price changes, spread across seven thematic categories and thirty-two sub-categories. We find that most claims made in these reports are scientifically incomplete (only 28.6% of all claims meet established criteria for the completeness of scientific arguments). We also identify a lack of comprehensiveness in the areas of emphasis and the claims being presented and drivers being explored, particularly with respect to issues presently at the centre of food price discourse in Canada, such as the agency of grocers and other supply chain actors, corporate growth imperatives, and climate change. Considering the importance of food prices and food security to prosperity and well-being in Canada, we conclude with a series of recommendations for strengthening the scientific rigor of these reports, including greater inclusion of supporting evidence, opportunities for peer review, and increased transparency regarding conflicts of interest and funding sources.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 increased the amount of biofuels that must be mixed with commercial gasoline sold in the US to 7.5 billion gallons by 2012. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 further increased this requirement to 36 billion gallons by 2022. These large increases in the production and consumption of biofuels may compel farmers to divert significant quantities of land away from food and feed crops, which, in turn, may lead to a rise in crop prices, feed prices, and hence, overall food prices. Employing structural vector autoregression (SVAR) models and monthly US data for the period 1974:01 to 2019:12, this paper examines the impact of biomass consumption on food prices. We find that since the passing of these two acts, surges in biomass consumption are associated with food price increases in several categories, namely, fruits, beverages, food away from home as well as meat and poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Costa Rica, the potato and onion agro-chains are of great importance in family nutrition and in the development of small and medium-sized producers in specific areas of the country. The study of price behavior and the way in which information is transmitted throughout the value chain represents a fundamental factor for decision-making both at the productive level and at the public policy level. The objective of this research is to analyze the process of vertical transmission of prices in the potato and onion agro-chains, as a tool to measure the efficiency in the markets. Monthly price time series were used and different modeling techniques were applied to explain the relationship between international prices, producer, wholesale and retail prices in both agricultural chains. It stands out that changes in prices are not immediately transmitted to the price paid at the farm and that the producer price reacts faster when international or wholesale prices fall than when they increase.

The present study aims to analyze the trends in food price in Brazil with emphasis on the period of the Covid-19 pandemic (from March 2020 to March 2022). Data from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey and the National System of Consumer Price Indexes were used as input to create a novel data set containing monthly prices (R$/Kg) for the foods and beverages most consumed in the country between January 2018 and March 2022. All food items were divided according to the Nova food classification system. We estimated the mean price of each food group for each year of study and the entire period. The monthly price of each group was plotted to analyze changes from January 2018 to March 2022. Fractional polynomial models were used to synthesize price changes up to 2025. Results of the present study showed that in Brazil unprocessed or minimally processed foods and processed culinary ingredients were more affordable than processed and ultra-processed foods. However, trend analyses suggested the reversal of the pricing pattern. The anticipated changes in the prices of minimally processed food relative to ultra-processed food, initially forecasted for Brazil, seem to reflect the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global economy. These results are concerning as the increase in the price of healthy foods aggravates food and nutrition insecurity in Brazil. Additionally, this trend encourages the replacement of traditional meals for the consumption of unhealthy foods, increasing a health risk to the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malnutrition poses a substantial challenge in Somalia, impacting approximately 1.8 million children. This critical issue is exacerbated by a multifaceted interplay of factors. Consequently, this study seeks to examine the long-term and short-term effects of armed conflicts, food price inflation, and climate variability on global acute malnutrition in Somalia. Methods: The study utilized secondary data spanning from January 2015 to December 2022, sourced from relevant databases. Two distinct analytical approaches were employed to comprehensively investigate the dynamics of global acute malnutrition in Somalia. Firstly, dynamic autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) simulations were applied, allowing for a nuanced understanding of the short and long-term effects of armed conflicts, food price inflation, and climate variability on malnutrition. Additionally, the study employed kernel-based regularized least squares, a sophisticated statistical technique, to further enhance the robustness of the findings. The analysis was conducted using STATA version 17. Results: In the short run, armed conflicts and food price inflation exhibit positive associations with global acute malnutrition, particularly in conflict-prone areas and during inflationary periods. Moreover, climatic variables, specifically temperature and rainfall, demonstrate positive associations. It is important to note that temperature lacks a statistically significant relationship with global acute malnutrition in the short run. In the long run, armed conflicts and food price inflation maintain persistent impacts on global acute malnutrition, as confirmed by the dynamic ARDL simulations model. Furthermore, both temperature and rainfall continue to show positive associations with global acute malnutrition, but it is worth noting that temperature still exhibits a non-significant relationship. The results from kernel-based regularized least squares were consistent, further enhancing the robustness of the findings. Conclusions: Increased armed conflicts, food price inflation, temperature, and rainfall were associated with increased global acute malnutrition. Strategies such as stabilizing conflict-prone regions, diplomatic interventions, and peace-building initiatives are crucial, along with measures to control food price inflation. Implementing climate adaptation strategies is vital to counter temperature changes and fluctuating rainfall patterns, emphasizing the need for resilience-building. Policymakers and humanitarian organizations can leverage these insights to design targeted interventions, focusing on conflict resolution, food security, and climate resilience to enhance Somalia's overall nutritional well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we focus on poor households vs. non-poor households, using objective and subjective definitions of poverty. We evaluate the various responses of these households to changes in food expenditures, income, and prices, and simulate the welfare losses of food price changes across poverty definitions. We use the QUAIDS model to estimate food elasticities and rely on the National Survey of Expenditure and Household Income, from Uruguay 2016/2017, because it contains novel information on the subjective poverty status of each household. Our results show important differences across poverty definitions. In addition, we find that price increases may lead to larger welfare losses in poor households. On average, the percentage of income needed to avoid a loss in the economic welfare of poor households, defined by the objective method, is twice that required by the non-poor households, for all price changes. Differences are much smaller when using the subjective approach. Our main contribution is the first evidence of consumption behaviour and welfare analysis under different poverty measures. Our findings highlight the need for policies that mitigate the negative effects of price shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Africa, approx. 675 million people were at risk of food insecurity. COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have exacerbated this situation, by damaging populations' access to and affordability of foods. This study is aimed at estimating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on availability and prices of essential food commodities at 20 large markets in Ghana. Methods: Data on food availability and food retail prices collected through weekly market-level data during the period from July 2017 to September 2020 were used in this study. We performed interrupted time-series analyses and estimated the percentage increases between the observed and predicted food prices by food group and by region to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food prices. Results: As a result, the impact of COVID-19 on food availability was limited. However, the results of interrupted time-series analyses indicate a significant increase in overall mean food prices in Greater Accra, Eastern and Upper East regions. It was also found that mean price of starchy roots, tubers and plantains significantly increased across regions. Discussion: The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food availability and prices was significant but varied by food type and regions in Ghana. Continuous monitoring and responses are critical to maintain food availability and affordability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we propose a method to determine the appropriate learning period for each stock and the prediction period by considering stock price fluctuations for stock price prediction using machine learning. Our proposed method uses historical volatility as an indicator of the turning point to determine the learning period based on the policy that the fluctuations in the period after the major turning point of stock price fluctuations and the fluctuations in the prediction period are likely to be similar and that the prediction accuracy can be improved by eliminating the period before the turning point from the learning period. We used Long Short‐Term Memory (LSTM), which has been used in many related studies on stock price prediction, as the machine learning model. Experiments showed that the accuracy of predictions by neural networks trained with the learning period determined by the proposed method was better than that of predictions by neural networks trained with the same learning period for all stocks. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To inform policy makers concerned with food security, this paper relies on the 1–2–3 household survey (2004–2005) to provide a geographical overview of Congo's food markets and dietary status. The results of this descriptive study point to inefficient domestic food markets, with Kinshasa being a case in point: it is deficient, poorly connected to its hinterland and highly dependent on imports. Food markets in the Kasaï provinces and the northeastern region are two minor exceptions, while the most competitive food producers are found in Équateur and North Kivu. Despite differential access, five diet types can be identified, with the most energy rich (cassava/palm oil) being consumed in Maniema, Orientale, Équateur, and rural Bas-Congo. In contrast, households in South Kivu and Kinshasa suffer from large calorie deficiencies, which is due to low purchasing power for the former and relatively higher food prices and more demanding social norms for the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to examine how consumers' consumption behaviors change in response to food supply chain disruptions and food security crisis during COVID-19. A new conceptual framework of consumer food stress and food consumption paradigms for crises is proposed based on the pillars of food security. This study also investigates the mediating effects of food prices and food stress on the proposed framework between pillars of food security and consumption behavior. A range of quantitative techniques was adopted for collecting the data during the COVID-19, with the sample of Bangladeshi consumers (n = 1150) generating a precise measurement. The study applied PLS-SEM (partial least squares-structural equation modeling) to predict food consumption behavior model and expose relevant relationships between all the constructs. Findings reveal that food access, food quality and safety, and food pricing directly impact consumer food stress and consumption behavior. Also, consumers' consumption behavior is ultimately influenced by food stress. However, food availability has no significant influence on food stress. This research is one of the few empirical studies exploring a range of food security variables that helps explain why consumers are so anxious about food during COVID-19. This study discussed theoretical and practical implications that help food producers, suppliers, marketers, and policymakers maintain a stable food supply chain management and manage food crises during national emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the effect of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, availability, stress, and food choices on the actual behavior of Generation Z consumers. Besides, the mediator role of the behavioral intention is considered. The researcher applied a cross-sectional research design to collect the primary data using a self-administered questionnaire. The population consisted of Generation Z consumers who are now university-going students in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. The study followed a systematic random sampling technique to select Generation Z consumers. A total of 891 samples were collected through a structured questionnaire survey. The study findings found significant relationships among attitudes, perceived behavioral control, stress and food choices, behavioral intention, and actual behavior in a direct and indirect analysis. Besides, subjective norms and availability of fast food items found insignificant relationships with indirect and direct path analysis, respectively. In Bangladesh, the theory of planned behavior and the incorporated variables have hardly been found in the existing literature investigating Generation Z consumers' fast food consumption preferences. The outcome results showed how behavioral intention was associated with other constructs as a mediator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies show a positive association between the rise of obesity in developing countries and globalization, trade, and food trade, but most do not account for reverse causality between the prevalence of obesity and trade flows. Moreover, most studies adopt broad definitions of trade and food trade, notwithstanding the main effects of trade on obesity may pass through import of specific foods. We address these concerns by empirically investigating the impact of food import on obesity in a sample of 116 developing countries (2000–2016) and by focusing, particularly, on processed and sugar‐rich food. This is done by controlling for other globalization‐related factors and by correcting the bias stemming from potential reverse causality through a two‐step approach instrumenting obesity with the average height of adult population. One main robust conclusion emerges: it is neither economic and cultural globalization nor general food import, but rather the import of processed and sugar‐rich food, which contributes to increase obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since joining the North American Free Trade Agreement, Mexico has increased its meat production and exports and become more dependent on imported feedstuffs such as genetically engineered (GE) corn. Mexico recently banned the use of GE corn in corn‐based foods and called for a gradual substitution away from the use of GE corn for other uses (e.g., feed). This paper considers how a complete ban on GE corn might affect Mexican households using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to simulate the impact over the medium run (5 years). Results indicate that Mexico decreases corn imports by 76.9% and increases corn production by 65.6%—an increase that would require 3.3 million hectares more land for corn. The policy leads to a 24.8% increase in Mexico's corn price and up to a 6% increase in the prices of other agricultural products. But Mexico might have difficulty shifting land to corn; as such, we consider an alternative scenario that restricts land movements. We find that impacts are further exacerbated in this scenario—for example, corn prices triple. Our final contribution is to pair these results with a compensating variation calculation based on the almost ideal demand system. We find that Mexican households would need to spend, on average, between 6.7 and 13.9% more on food, depending on the scenario, to compensate for the resulting price escalations. Ultimately, our results show that a move toward greater food sovereignty in Mexico is ultimately borne by consumers via higher food prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preference heterogeneity in food demand has important health and equity implications for targeted and broad‐based taxes and subsidies intended to enhance diet quality and reduce obesity. We study the role of obesity in the purchases of food at home and food away from home using data from the nationally representative National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey. We develop a method for incorporating the complex survey design and retail scanner data into the estimation of a 21‐good Exact Affine Stone Index demand system with endogenous prices and truncated purchases. We find significant preference heterogeneity associated with the obesity status of household members. Counterfactual simulations find that (1) a sweetened beverage tax is effective in increasing the healthfulness of purchases by lower income obese consumers; (2) the nutritional benefits of a fruit and vegetable subsidy are concentrated on nonobese consumers with little improvement in obese consumers' Healthy Eating Index and an increase in their total calories purchased; and (3) a fiscally neutral healthy food subsidy fully funded by an unhealthy food tax benefits nonobese consumers both financially and nutritionally more than it does obese consumers. These findings show that lowering healthy food prices without raising the cost of unhealthy foods is unlikely to reduce obesity. Policymakers in favor of a systems approach of simultaneously taxing unhealthy foods and subsidizing healthy foods should be mindful of the distributional effects of this policy on obese consumers and the lower income population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The growth of the internet has transformed digital infrastructure in Thailand over the past two decades, with the widespread use of e-commerce, digital money and online services becoming a daily norm for all ages. The COVID-19 restrictions, which limited in-person business operations, boosted demand for takeout and delivery services and fueled the expected steady growth of the online food delivery market in Thailand. The pandemic also resulted in a shift towards online ordering and delivery, reflecting changes in customer behavior. This study focuses on exploring the factors that have driven Bangkokians to use online food delivery services after the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in June 2022. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 398 participants who had ordered food delivery services after the announcement. Findings: The findings showed that perceived usefulness, time saving benefit and price saving benefit have a significant impact on the intention of customers to use online food delivery services, while food safety risk perception had no effect. Practical implications: Bangkokians favor online food delivery services due to convenience and time-saving, indicating high demand post-pandemic. Businesses should invest in improving their platforms to meet evolving consumer behavior. Originality/value: The result of this study offers valuable insights into the attitudes and behaviors of Bangkokians towards online food delivery services and could be beneficial for businesses in the industry to improve their services, enhance customer satisfaction as well as increase their competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the potential impact of the triadic social interaction instigated by spatial distance between author, reader, and business that detects tourists' geographical decision patterns. A social media asset for brands is a digital presence that encourages positive consumer responses in media communication. Using 2,129 items of author-reader-business paired review data, the findings indicate that geographical proximity between the review triad has assimilated patterns to assess reviews. Spatial regression analysis visualized spatial heterogeneity across US regions, showing that a lower spatial distance between tourists and businesses positively improved media assets; in contrast, close spatial proximity had a strong impact among peer tourists. As spatially heterogeneous tourists positively accept media sharing toward the business, the review triad model imposes the varying effects of triadic spatial distance that helps tourism policymakers implement an effective location-based social media marketing strategy for the food tourism industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a global issue that is driving up commodity prices such as food, energy and fertiliser. In this light, this study examines the effects of climate change on international commodity prices (food, energy, and fertilisers) from 1961 to 2020. The study employs a Bayesian Vector Autoregression (BVAR) model identified with sign restrictions. First, this study finds that climate change causes an increase in commodity prices, with the effect being greatest for energy, followed by fertilisers, and least for food prices. Second, this study also finds that climate change may have amplified the short-run impact of fertiliser and energy prices on food prices. Third, the estimates suggest that climate change may have a negative impact on global real GDP. Overall, this study's findings of global climate change's positive effects on commodity prices and a negative impact on global real GDP, suggests that monetary authorities may face higher inflation-output trade-off. Hence, this study argues that climate change may be a new challenge to monetary policy strategy, particularly in countries that are net importers of staple foods and have a large share of food items in their consumer price index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]