Pakistan Journal of Applied Economics

191-204

Authors: Salim CHISHTI & Haroon JAMAL*

The paper assesses the extent of under nutrition in the poorest segments of society in Pakistan and identities its determinants. It evaluates the impact of various income and price policies followed. The data for this study is drawn from a longitudinal survey of rural Pakistan. Simple headcount index shows that about 25 percent of the households in the sample are undernourished . However, this percentage drops to a very low level when it is measured by intensity-sensitive indicators because the proportion of severely undernourished is quite low. The estimated income and price elasticity are low and are comparable to earlier studies, Sensitivity analysis results indicate that a small subsidy on wheat price to the poor may be quite effective in improving their nutritional status.

227-243

Authors: Mansor H. IBRAHIM*

The present analysis measures and evaluates the efficiency performance of Malaysian manufacturing industries based on panel estimation methods of a stochastic frontier production function . Our findings suggest that the Malaysian manufacturing industries are relatively efficient, having the average technical efficiency levels of more than 70 per cent. Still some industries have been identified to have low levels of technical efficiency. These include Leather and Leather Products, Iron and Steel, Paper and Paper Products, NonFerrous Metals, and Food. In addition, we also find that several industries have a reduction in the efficiency levels over time. Among them are Leather and Leather Products, Paper and Paper Products, Non-Ferrous Metals, other Chemical Products, and Electrical Machinery. Accordingly, to survive the upcoming liberalized markets, adjustments to boost efficiency levels in these industries need to be made.

143-156

Authors: Mohammad Pervez WASIM*

This paper attempts to explain the acreage allocation behavior of sugarcane cultivators in terms of their responsiveness to price and non-price factors over the period, 1972-73 to 1993-94. Specifically. the paper estimates the elasticities of sugarcane acreage in Sindh and its districts .with respect to the crops' (i) relative profitability, (ii) irrigation, (iii) risk variable arising from price and yield, (iv) area under plant protection measures and (v) sugar production by factories. Through its adjustment coefficient the model estimates the degree of farmers' realisation of various incentives provided to them.

171-184

Authors: Muzafar Shah HABIBULLAH*

In the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in the hypothesis of how expectations were formed by economic agents. More recently, many applied studies have tried to test the implications of rational expectations hypo thesis-on survey data. This paper provides empirical evidence on the rationality of survey data of agricultural firms' economic forecasts on gross revenue, capital expenditure and employment. The results of this paper indicate that agricultural firms forecasts do not violate the statistical properties of unbiasedness, efficiency or orthogonality.