Growth Dynamics of Cereal Cultivation in Asian Agriculture: A Non-Parametric Approach

Abstract

This paper attempts to analysed pattern of Agricultural growth by using Kakwani's (1997) growth parameters. Based on the aggregated country wise data on area production and yield of cereal grains in Asia, the study reveals considerable variations in country wise growth rates. It is observed that there is a diminishing return to scale in operation which slows down the growth rates of the leading countries. However, the less-developed countries have not been able to catch up adequately over time. The result is also supported by the periodization analysis as suggested by Kakwani (1997). The study concludes that the growth of agriculture over 53 years has been highly unequal. The study also analysed what different mechanical procedures imply about the welfare weights attached to growth in different years.

JEL: Q10, Q12, Q15, Q19