Allocative efficiency of agrifood traders: shrimp traders in Indonesia

dc.contributor.authorYi, D.
dc.contributor.authorReardon, T.
dc.date.issued2015
dc.description.abstractShrimp is one of Indonesia's most important agricultural export commodities, with an annual export value exceeding $1 billion. If this high-value sector is to remain competitive and continue to grow, rural traders must be able to efficiently allocate scarce labour and factor inputs to trade shrimp. This study tests for factors leading to allocative inefficiency in the shrimp trade, by estimating a stochastic cost frontier on the basis of data from a survey of 200 shrimp traders in Central Java and South Sulawesi. Our results show that larger firms have a distinct cost advantage in trade and, owing in part to greater access to factor markets, are more efficient in allocating factors. Small firms can improve their allocative efficiency and become more competitive by specialising in trading one shrimp variety and by using output contracts to mitigate risk in the output market.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityDale Yi, Thomas Reardon
dc.identifier.citationBulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, 2015; 51(3):405-423
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/00074918.2015.1107676
dc.identifier.issn0007-4918
dc.identifier.issn1472-7234
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/102943
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherTaylor & Francis Ltd
dc.rights© 2015 Indonesia Project ANU
dc.source.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00074918.2015.1107676
dc.subjecttraders; allocative efficiency; shrimp
dc.titleAllocative efficiency of agrifood traders: shrimp traders in Indonesia
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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