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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2019, Vol. 18 Issue (10): 2408-2421    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(19)62743-7
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Technical efficiency of hybrid maize growers: A stochastic frontier model approach
Imad Ali1, HUO Xue-xi1, Imran Khan1, Hashmat Ali2, Khan Baz3, Sufyan Ullah Khan1
1 College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, P.R.China
2 School of Economics, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian 116025, P.R.China
3 School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, P.R.China
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Abstract  This study investigated the effect of credit constraints and credit unconstraints on the technical efficiency of hybrid maize growers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPK) of Pakistan. The primary data were collected by a direct elicitation method from 510 maize growers of KPK Province. Stochastic frontier model techniques were used for technical efficiency analyses. The results revealed that the mean technical efficiency difference between the two groups was 10.2%. The results of technical inefficiency effect modeling demonstrated that education of the household head, family size, number of married family members, off-farm income, farming experience, tractor drill, water irrigation through a lined course, certified seed, extension services, household saving variables, and a credit size variable had positive effects on technical efficiency for both credit constrained farmers (CCFs) and credit unconstrained farmers (UCCFs). In addition, age of household head and fragmented land values had negative effects on technical efficiency for both groups. However, the interest rate had positive and negative impacts on the technical efficiency of CCFs and UCCFs, respectively. Our results have significant implications for policies related to land use, interest rate, and banking sector expansion in the rural areas of Pakistan.
Keywords:  stochastic frontier analysis        maize growers        technical efficiency        credit rationing and credit markets in Pakistan  
Received: 10 December 2018   Accepted:
Fund: This research was sponsored by the National Natural Social Science Foundation of China (71573211).
Corresponding Authors:  Correspondence HUO Xue-xi, E-mail: xuexihuo@nwsuaf.edu.cn   

Cite this article: 

Imad Ali, HUO Xue-xi, Imran Khan, Hashmat Ali, Khan Baz, Sufyan Ullah Khan. 2019. Technical efficiency of hybrid maize growers: A stochastic frontier model approach. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 18(10): 2408-2421.

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