Tuesday, September 11, 2007
A Choice-Based Conjoint Experiment on Cottonseed Choice in the Mississippi Delta
Dr. Swagata "Ban" Banerjee1, Dr. Steven W. Martin1, and Dr. Darren Hudson2. (1) Delta Research & Extension Center, Mississippi State University, PO Box 197, Stoneville, MS 38776, (2) Mississippi State University, Box 5187, Mississippi State, MS 39762
| More than two-thirds of U.S. cotton is exported. U.S. cotton producers, in order to meet international fiber characteristic demands, desire cotton that is longer in fiber and more uniform than U.S. base grade cotton. The desire for high-fiber cotton adds another layer of demand for commercial seed that also includes the demand for high yield, insecticide resistance, and herbicide tolerance. The objective of this study was to examine producers’ preferences for the cottonseed attributes of seed price, seed type/variety, lint yield, and fiber quality, varied by different levels. This was done using a willingness-to-pay (WTP) approach via mail surveys. Results indicate there is a positive WTP for technology relative to conventional cottonseed, and WTP increases with the level of technology. There is also a positive WTP for yield and quality. Larger farms have a higher WTP for technology, and farms with more farm labor have a lower WTP for technology. These results suggest there are economies of size in technology adoption (biotechnology is not size-neutral), and labor and biotechnology are direct substitutes. |