ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the production relationships between important agricultural commodities and the input factors that determine the magnitude of production for each of the commodities. Separate functions can be estimated for developed and developing country groups for various commodities with apparently good results. The chapter also examines parameters obtained and values forecast in terms of calories and proteins in order to isolate effects on the average diets of the populations of developing countries. Estimates are determined from data on main producers of cereals among developing countries. The equations for sugar cane and for sugar beets show almost a total dependence on land-area harvested in determining the production relations for the products. The dependent variable is total output of raw sugar cane measured in thousand metric tons. The cutoff point for determining major producers was 100 thousand metric tons. All countries, however, produce some meat products.