Search

Setophoma terrestris is an important phytopathogenic fungus listed by China as a harmful fungus subject to phytosanitary import control. This pathogen is a threat to a wide range of plants, particularly as the causal agent of onion pink root rot, one of the most severe diseases of onions. In order to provide rapid identification and early warning of S. terrestris and prevent its spread, we have developed a rapid, accurate, and visually intuitive diagnostic assay for this pathogen, by utilizing recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), coupled with CRISPR/Cas12a cleavage and fluorescence-based detection systems or paper-based lateral flow strips. The developed RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a assay exhibited remarkable specificity for the detection of S. terrestris. Moreover, this protocol can detect the pathogen at a sensitivity level of 0.01 pg/μL, which significantly outperforms the 1 pg/μL sensitivity achieved by the existing qPCR-based detection method. The entire diagnostic procedure, including DNA extraction, the RPA reaction, the Cas12a cleavage, and the result interpretation, can be accomplished in 40 min. Furthermore, the successful application of the assay in infected plant samples highlighted its potential for rapid and accurate pathogen detection in agricultural settings. In summary, this RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a diagnostic method offers a potentially valuable technological solution for quarantine and disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable agriculture involves complex interactions among social, economic, and ecological dimensions, each with distinct interests and goals. Achieving sustainable agricultural development is challenging and requires a comprehensive response. This study focuses on Indonesia's garlic production, employing a systems thinking approach to provide a holistic understanding of the interconnected factors influencing sustainable agricultural systems. We utilized the first two steps of the five-step systems thinking methodology--problem articulation and the formulation of dynamic hypotheses. This process involved developing a causal loop diagram (CLD) to represent the dynamic hypotheses and identifying system archetypes to determine leverage and potential intervention points. Our analysis identified three system archetypes--Drifting Goals, Fixes that Fail, and Limit to Growth--as key patterns influencing the sustainability of garlic production. The Drifting Goals archetype reveals that efforts to boost local garlic stock in Indonesia are hindered by the allocation of garlic for seeds, due to the lack of a clear distinction between garlic for consumption and seed. The Fixes that Fail archetype illustrates the long-term detrimental effects of short-term agricultural practices, such as the overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The Limit to Growth archetype underscores the critical need for enhanced market access and a shift in consumer preferences to sustain garlic farming. To address these challenges, we recommend establishing clear distinctions between garlic for consumption and seed production, developing the seed industry, promoting integrated pest management, and reducing reliance on chemical inputs through environmentally friendly technology. Additionally, ensuring market and price stability is vital to maintain farmers' interest in garlic cultivation. Therefore, the government should prioritize market penetration for local garlic and consistently enforce import restrictions to ensure the sustainability of garlic production in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the factors influencing the citrus trade in Indonesia, the effects of tariff and non-tariff policies on the industry and the welfare of producers and consumers. Design/methodology/approach: The research used annual series data from 1991 to 2021 and employed inferential, simulation, and descriptive analyses. The two-stage least squares (2SLS) of 19 simultaneous equations were used to estimate parameters. Findings: The results indicate that free trade policies and restrictions have influenced the citrus industry, leading to a reduction in Indonesian citrus imports, and increased consumer and producer prices. However, eliminating import tariff policies on citrus from China and import restrictions increased producer surplus while decreasing consumer surplus, government revenue, and total welfare. Therefore, trade policies should be combined with non-trade policies such as citrus region development policies and advancing cultivation technology. Originality/value: This study provides empirical evidence for the Indonesian government to formulate effective citrus trade and development policies. It emphasizes the importance of carefully considering the impact of trade policy on the citrus industry and the need to implement non-trade policies such as citrus zone development policies and advancing cultivation technology to benefit both producers and consumers. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-02-2023-0148 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is a highly political commodity as it is the main staple of the country. It has always been at the forefront of agricultural policies in government. Most of the strategies focus on fostering food self-sufficiency, providing rice farmers with high incomes, and making prices affordable to consumers (Tobias, Molina, Valera, Mottaleb, and Mohanty, 2012). On February 14, 2019, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) titled "An Act liberalizing the importation, exportation, and trading of rice, lifting for the purpose the quantitative import restriction on rice, and for other purposes". This is also known as the Rice Liberalization Act or Republic Act No. 11203, which amends the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996 that imposed tariffs on agricultural imports except for rice (Dansal, 2019). In order to ensure that our local farmers are able to cope with the competition among the commercial imported rice as stipulated in the liberalization act on rice as a primary commodity, NFA was given the function to ensure that farmers' produce is still well accommodated as buffer stocks during emergencies and disasters. The main challenge that this capstone project would like to address is the difficulties confronted by NFA as it struggles to find enough storage logistics in the areas during the procurement period season. Quigley & Robertson (2015) underscored that the storage capacity is one of the most important logistics required for palay procurement operation. Establishing a collaborative program between the NFA and the community stakeholders ensures that there will be enough rice for the people, and that supply should always be maintained at its optimal level of buffer stock. This collaboration shall lead to an innovative measure to strengthen the community's awareness of the problem regarding insufficient warehouse logistics, thereby would lead to innovative efforts such as, but not limited to, active community participation and empowerment. This study concludes that a proactive approach of orientation coupled with a positive advocacy drive can achieve collaborative governance and synergies among the stakeholders to face the challenges in the public sector. It is very important to recognize and include the different values and perspectives of the multistakeholders to be able for them to appreciate the significance of the project and policy guidelines being implemented. Collaboration in this project has been touted as a valuable tool of innovation. Community partnering can develop and establish development opportunities. The government as a backbone of the society could not do it alone, the participation of the community is very critical to materialize an impact project. However, embracing collaborative governance acknowledges that it is no easy. There are always impediments to fulfilling it, hence, it is a challenge to build a more compassionate atmosphere. Being more persistent in advocating this mechanism is the central factor to attain a collaborative environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent Canadian preferential trade agreements (PTAs) include increased market access for imports of supply‐managed products (dairy and poultry). Such agreements are typically expected to create trade flows and increase supply of relatively low‐priced products in Canada. Industry groups representing Canadian producers and processors of supply‐managed products negotiated to receive approximately C$5 billion in payments from the federal government as compensation for the prospects of facing more international competition and reduced domestic sales. We discuss partial‐equilibrium simulation models that are commonly used by academics and governments to project market effects of new trade agreements, and conceptually illustrate how different assumptions about import supply conditions generate different projected market outcomes. We focus on the quota fill rates of new access commitments—most studies, including those used to inform government policies on compensation payments, assume imports increase in an amount equal to new commitments. This is often not the case, including with recent Canadian trade agreements. We apply a conceptual framework to Canada's supply‐management industry by re‐simulating a quantitative model of the Canadian dairy industry with updated information on implementation and quota fill rates. Projected market effects of trade agreements under the assumption of full import quotas are markedly different from projections that account for unfilled quotas. We discuss the political economy and welfare implications of compensation payments in light of our analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Zuclopenthixol decanoate is a dopamine antagonist licensed for human use to manage schizophrenia and paranoid psychosis. It is in the same drug class (thioxanthene) as fluphenazine decanoate, a drug whose use in horses is reported anecdotally for providing long‐acting sedation. This case study describes severe extrapyramidal signs seen in a Thoroughbred colt after zuclopenthixol decanoate administration. The colt was presented to a referral hospital for an unusual manifestation of colic signs. On admission, the colt began to show clear extrapyramidal neurological signs. The initial suspicion was of fluphenazine decanoate toxicity, which in the limited published literature is treated with intravenous formulations of diphenhydramine hydrochloride and benztropine mesylate. At the time of writing both were unavailable in the United Kingdom without an import license. The closest alternative option, oral diphenhydramine was administered alongside intravenous atropine and pergolide. Improvements in the colt's demeanour and neurological status was noted within 24 h. The colt was hospitalised for a total of 26 days and at time of discharge was clinically normal. Follow‐up communication 3 months after discharge confirmed that the colt had remained neurologically normal. Crucially, toxicology testing submitted to Cornell University was negative for common toxins, including fluphenazine decanoate. Specific secondary testing was performed after suspicion the administration of zuclopenthixol decanoate was raised, which was positive for this compound. Routine drug testing would, therefore, not identify the use of this behaviour modifying drug. Clinical data regarding the use of zuclopenthixol in animals is limited to its use in the translocation of wildlife to relieve stress and aid acclimatisation. To our knowledge, there is no available literature describing the administration of zuclopenthixol decanoate in equine patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure its food security and economic growth, Russia needs to monitor the global pesticide market because constant monitoring predicts supply stability and provides annual high yields. The article describes the current issues associated with agricultural pesticide, analyzes the development directions on the global pesticide market, and predicts its impact on the Russian economy. To analyze the global market of chemical plant protection products, the authors applied an integrated approach based on analysis, synthesis, analogy, comparison, and forecasting. The research relied on the domestic laws and standards issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance. Other sources included statistics obtained from foreign agencies (Phillips McDougal; Kynetec; NBS, China; Chemexcil, India) and Russian institutions (Rosstat, BusinesStat, Zerno.ru, etc.). The review included articles published in scientific and analytical databases, i.e., eLIBRARY.RU, AgroXXI, and AgroPages in 2018–2024. The analysis concentrated on India, China, and the Russian Federation. It covered absolute and relative harvest losses, as well as the market share of importing countries and key suppliers on Russian pesticide market. The demand for chemical pesticides continues to grow, despite restrictions or prohibitions of some hazardous pesticides. Some active ingredients were partially unavailable while finished formulations were subjected to import quotas. In 2024, Russia will be using as many chemical plant protection products as in 2023 since the domestic warehouses store large reserves. The weather conditions are likely to ensure optimal plant growth. Russian farmers will harvest about 142 million tons of grain, including 92–95 million tons of wheat. If repeated annually, this research may reduce the risk of harvest losses and allow the state to adopt prompt regulation measures to obtain high-quality products, thus increasing the domestic consumption and export potential.

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war have demonstrated that the neoliberal system is unstable during global crises. In times of crisis, exporter countries adopt protectionist policies in the form of export restrictions to safeguard their local food supply and curb inflation. Consequently, low‐income countries might find themselves unable to access essential food products. In this regard, the aftermath of the COVID‐19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war has gradually increased export restrictions, causing severe food supply disruptions. In particular, import‐dependent countries cannot access essential food products and face famine. To this point, this study explores the vulnerabilities of neoliberalism when exporter countries turn to protectionism. Moreover, it asks whether food sovereignty and self‐sufficiency could act as a safeguard for import‐dependent states against such vulnerabilities. In doing so, the study aims to contribute to the literature by linking protectionism with export restrictions, diverging from the more common association of protectionism with solely import restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second-hand clothing market is a multi-billion-dollar industry that has helped many developing countries stimulate their economy. Over the years, however, the quality of secondhand clothing has declined as the fast-fashion market rises. Countries such as India and the Philippines have banned secondhand clothing imports to protect their textile industries from demise. African countries like Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda also attempted to ban secondhand clothing imports but were sanctioned with a threat of removal from the African Growth Opportunity Act. This article explores how Anti-Dumping Laws fail to fulfill their ordinary meaning in the secondhand fashion market in African countries by analyzing the trade of secondhand clothing between the United States and Ghana under Ghanaian Anti-Dumping Laws. The Article then provides recommendations for amending World Trade Organization Anti-Dumping Laws that fully solve the issue of price discrimination as well as the other harmful environmental effects of dumping. Lastly, this Article provides solutions to persons who rely on the secondhand clothing trade considering the anticipated impact of the proposed change. "They think that in Africa here, sorry to say, we are not like human beings. Even if somebody knocked on your door to beg, you cannot just . . . pick something from your dustbin. In this case . . . they're doing that to us. Emmanuel Ajaab, Ghanaian Secondhand Clothing Importer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how digital payment affects industrial sector activity in selected Sub-Saharan African countries. The selected countries are Nigeria and South Africa, which are the largest economies in the sub-region with rapid adoption of digital payment. The investigation is motivated by the strategic importance of the payment system in facilitating industrial production and turnover. The methodologies of unrestricted error correction model (UECM) and dynamic ordinary least squares model (DOLS) are employed in the study. The UECM results show that the adoption of digital payment impacted significantly on industrial sector activity in both countries. The impact is, however, lower than the impact of physical capital, human capital, and personal income. The positive role of digital payment is, therefore, strongly complemented by the three variables. On the other hand, trade openness has an insignificant effect, which indicates a relatively weak role in facilitating industrial activity. The DOLS results are not significantly different from the UECM results, which indicates that the estimated impacts on industrial activity are consistent. The findings suggest the need to deepen the digital payment system, in order to sustain its role in industrial production and expansion. This could be done by strengthening the internet technology that is used in digital payment. Furthermore, the role of physical and human capital needs to be sustained by encouraging capital investment, while that of personal income may be sustained by reducing income tax. The low effect of trade openness could be improved by controlling the import of industrial goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the New Industrial Policy Observatory (NIPO) data set and documents emergent patterns of policy intervention during 2023 associated with the return of industrial policy. The data show that the recent wave of new industrial policy activity is primarily driven by advanced economies and that subsidies are the most employed instrument. Trade restrictions on imports and exports are more frequently used by emerging market and developing economies. Strategic competitiveness is the dominant motive governments give for these measures, but other objectives such as climate change, resilience and national security are on the rise. In exploratory regressions, we find that implemented measures are correlated with the past use of measures by other governments in the same sector, pointing to the tit‐for‐tat nature of industrial policy. Furthermore, domestic political economy factors and macroeconomic conditions correlate with the use of industrial policy measures. We intend for the NIPO to be a publicly available resource to help monitor the evolution and effects of industrial policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Realidad Economica is the property of Realidad Economica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This study analyzed the state of broiler production in Senegal after nearly two decades of poultry import restrictions. It provides a synopsis of the Senegalese broiler value chain and evaluates the performance and economics of different broiler farm types. Design/methodology/approach: A multi-stakeholder workshop and interviews were conducted with key informants to investigate the structure and activities of the Senegalese broiler value chain. The typical farm approach (TFA) was used to construct and analyze "typical" farms that represent the most common broiler production systems in Senegal. Findings: The current situation in the Senegalese broiler value chain is favorable for hatcheries, feed mills, producers and poultry traders. However, the slaughterhouses are not faring well. The farm economic analysis demonstrates that typical medium-scale broiler farms are performing well, due to the use of high-quality feed, chicks and good husbandry. Additionally, the analysis revealed that feed and day-old chick (DOC) costs are the most significant in conventional broiler production in Senegal. Despite the high costs of feed and DOCs, broiler production is profitable for typical farms. Research limitations/implications: Athough this study provides detailed insights into broiler farm economics in Senegal, it does not include typical integrated large-scale broiler farm-types. Based on our findings, we can predict that such farm types may be more efficient and have lower production costs due to the use of high-quality inputs (chicks and feed), and economies of scale. However, future studies will need to verify this prediction. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, only a few unpublished studies on broiler farm economics in Senegal exist. These studies only provide a basic analysis of the cost of production and profitability, with little consideration of various production systems. Contrastingly, this study provides a detailed economic analysis of different types of conventional broiler farms in key production regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, the need for healthy food has increased the demand for seafood in the international market. However, despite the high global demand, seafood is highly perishable and may harbour pathogenic microorganisms that could be transferred to humans during handling, processing, and consumption. Therefore, establishing strict food safety standards and risk communication tools is critical to prevent the infiltration of unsafe seafood into global markets. In the global food supply chain, the European Union (EU) is the largest importer of seafood, while more than 80% of global seafood production is from Asia. Additionally, Southeast Asian countries account for 32% of global seafood production. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the microbiological safety of seafood imported from Southeast Asia to the EU by analysing alert notifications in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) database. The RASFF is a tool used for reporting and communicating food safety-related risks among the EU Member States and other members of the RASFF network. A total of 301 notifications of pathogens in seafood originating from four Southeast Asian countries (Malay-sia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia) were reported by 19 EU countries, including the United Kingdom (1997-2020). More than 56% of the pathogen notifications involved crustaceans and related products. Fifty-two percent of the notifications involved seafood from Vietnam, while 30% of the notifications from EU member countries were from Italy. Vibrio spp. was the most predominant bacterial pathogen responsible for 50% of the notifications, followed by Salmonella spp. and Clostridium accounting for 38% and 2% of the notifications, respectively. Norovirus was implicated in 10% of the notifications, and this was only in clams from Vietnam. These pathogens pose a risk to consumers' health, indicating the need to enforce stringent food safety standards in producing countries to ensure the safety of seafood exported to other parts of the world. These actions will ultimately prevent economic loss associated with the rejection, destruction or import restrictions of contaminated seafood originating from Southeast Asia to the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response to COVID-19 generated an unprecedented global demand for medical equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE). This article explores how states have exercised their leverage and used regulatory tools to address human and labour rights violations, mainly forced labour, when procuring PPE. In particular, it analyses three tools used before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: trade import restrictions, transparency in supply chain regulation and public procurement processes. These tools are explored in relation to three states: the US, the UK and Sweden. This article argues that no single system currently provides a comprehensive and adequate response to human rights abuses in public supply chains, but that a combination of all of them in some form could provide the basis for a more effective and resilient approach – not only during a crisis, but also in the longer term, and may prove more capable to address systemic abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how import license restriction‐induced resource misallocation affects industry aggregate total factor productivity (TFP). We apply a recently proposed consistent estimator to micro‐level data from the Chinese steel industry, considering material price heterogeneity. We back out the potential extent of misallocation, finding the importers' TFP is not significantly higher than that of the nonimporters, and resource misallocation caused by the iron‐ore import license lowers aggregate productivity. Our analysis indicates that removing the trade barrier counterfactually would increase the industrial TFP by 76.8%, on average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A primary goal of arms embargoes is to mitigate the humanitarian effects of conflict within target states by restricting access to foreign weaponry. Within this study, we investigate how embargoed governments adapt their violent strategies in response to restrictions on arms imports. We theorize that arms embargoes that undermine governments' military strength may inadvertently increase their reliance on civilian repression as an alternative approach to countering domestic threats. However, we expect that targeted governments' ability to acquire weapons from non-participating or non-compliant suppliers will have a mitigating effect. A global examination of the effects of arms embargoes between 1989 and 2004 supports our argument and also suggests that both the levels of arms received and who supplies them matter. Our findings suggest that policymakers who employ arms embargoes should consider increased violence against civilians as a potential unintended consequence and closely monitor target governments' use of repression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute Pesticide Poisoning (APP) is a significant problem in developing countries, causing loss of productivity and fatalities in the agricultural sector. However, limited information on the connection between pesticide use, APP, and deaths in Zimbabwe is available. This study aimed to evaluate incidents that resulted in APP and identify the specific pesticides that caused them at Health Care Facilities (HCFs) in Mashonaland Central Province. Researchers conducted a survey asking standardized questions to gather information on APP cases from 93 HCFs. Descriptive statistics and chisquare association tests for APP cases in the targeted HCFs were calculated using IBM SPSS version 22. The study found that 43% of APP cases were due to pesticides belonging to the World Health Organization (WHO) class II acute toxicity category, while 26.1% were caused by Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs). Most of the cases were due to intentional poisoning (87.1%), with the majority (55.9%) of APP incidents being males. The highest APP cases were recorded in the 21-30 age group (38.8%), followed by the 31-40 age group (32.8%). These results emphasize the significant impact of intentional poisoning by WHO class II type pesticides, particularly HHPs, on the incidence of APP in Zimbabwe. To mitigate the impact of HHPs on human health, it is recommended that the government of Zimbabwe consider pesticide risk reduction measures, such as stricter pesticide registration criteria, import restrictions, and the promotion of less toxic alternatives. These findings highlight the urgent need for policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector to work collaboratively towards creating a safer and more sustainable farming environment in Zimbabwe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the economic sanctions imposed on Russia by numerous countries following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. These sanctions included trade restrictions and freezing of assets. Initially, the Russian Ruble depreciated, but it later appreciated, raising questions about the correlation between sanctions and exchange rates. Two papers propose theoretical frameworks to analyze the impact of sanctions on exchange rates, suggesting that import restrictions may lead to currency appreciation. The article also presents empirical evidence from historical data, showing that import restrictions generally result in currency appreciation, while export restrictions and asset freezes lead to depreciation. The findings highlight the importance of considering the nature of sanctions when evaluating their impact on exchange rates. [Extracted from the article]

We test the predictions of recent theoretical studies of the impact of sanctions on the exchange rate. We build a database of exchange rates and sanctions spanning 1914–45 – an era when both large and small economies were targeted by multilateral sanction packages, facilitating comparisons with today's Russian war episode. We estimate the dynamic response of the exchange rate in a panel of sanction episodes at weekly frequency using local projections, conditioning on the type of sanctions taken. We tease out mechanisms through which sanctions affect the exchange rate by estimating their effects on macroeconomic variables plausibly acting as transmission channels. Our estimates suggest that import restrictions, export restrictions, asset freezes and trade embargoes lead to exchange rate effects consistent with theory, though the precision of the measured effects varies across sanction type. These findings suggest that recent models of the effects of sanctions on the exchange rate do not just match developments in today's specific Russia episode but have broader applicability. It follows that the direction of exchange rate movements is not an adequate metric of the success or failure of sanctions but a reflection of the type and scale of the measures taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the performance of reverse logistics management in terms of after sales service repair return activities such as the activity of managing the broken item, export and import, and broken item handling activities at the warehouse etc. using the purposive sampling, the respondents selected consists of 5 person whose active engage in the activity. This research is conducted through descriptive qualitative data analysis with interviews, observations, and internal documentation. According to the research results of reverse logistics management on repair returns, there are still a lot of rooms needed to improve the performance, and speed up the lead time. There is still a room for improvement needed such as SOP standardization of each reverse logistics activities involved itself, should have need some of goods movement configuration and management such as, flow of communication, flow of goods, flow of documents and the administrative work improvement on creating the export import license permit document to avoid the error which can lead to a longer lead time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating antibiotic consumption in animals is fundamental to guiding decision-making and research on controlling the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in humans, animals, and the environment. This study aimed to establish importation trends of antibiotics for veterinary use in Rwanda between 2019 and 2021. Data was collected from the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority's database. Quantities of imported antibiotic active ingredients were computed using the information extracted from the issued import licenses. These quantities were subsequently adjusted per animal biomass. In total, 35,291.4 kg of antibiotics were imported into Rwanda between 2019 and 2021, with an annual mean of 11,763.8 ± 1,486.9 kg. The adjustment of imported quantities of antibiotics per animal biomass revealed that 29.1 mg/kg, 24.3 mg/kg, and 30.3 mg/kg were imported in 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively. A slight but not statistically significant decline in antibiotic importation was noted in 2020 (p-value = 0.547). Most of the imported antibiotics were indicated to be used in food-producing animals (35,253.8 kg or 99.9% of the imported antibiotics). Tetracyclines (17,768.6 kg or 50.3%), followed by sulfonamides (7,865.0 kg or 22.3%) and aminoglycosides (4,071.1 kg or 11.5%), were the most imported antibiotics over the studied period. It was noted that 78.9% of the imported antibiotics were categorized as highly important antimicrobials for human medicine. This study established a generalized overview of the importation of antibiotics for veterinary use in Rwanda. These results can serve as guidance for the control of antibiotic misuse. They can be used to make a correlation between antibiotic importation, antibiotic consumption, and the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian seed industry has shown an annual growth rate of 15.7% during 2011-2018 and is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.6% during 2019-2024, reaching a value of US $ 9.1 Billion by 2024. For any seed system to be viable and sustainable it requires a great deal of efforts through the right kind of laws, acts and policy framework and interventions as its essential pre-requisites. Due implementation of some progressive policies by the government of India, seed market has witnessed a major restructuring. These policies bought relaxed seed trade norms, reduced import restrictions on germplasm, encouraged foreign investments, supported quality seed production, plant variety protection, farmers and breeders right protection. Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions imposed had tremendous impact on the seed industry. The policy response and initiatives taken up by the government to address the problems by adopting various strategies helped in the uplifting the farming community. By classifying agriculture sector as essential, it eased in the continuous movement of the seed. This review gives insight about how the Indian seed legislation helped to increase the growth rate of Indian seed industry and also impact of covid-19 pandemic on seed sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is about the comparative analysis on the growth rate of imports and the growth rate of exports during 2009 to 2023. The foreign trade includes all of merchandise and service goods and it is administrated by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. India had an isolated economy before economic liberalization in 1991 because of high average tariffs--200 percent or more--and significant quantitative import restrictions. Since the liberalization, India's economy has improved mainly due to increased foreign trade. From 2009 to 2023 India saw a 323.05% of change in total foreign trade. India's foreign trade is estimated to cross 48 % of India's GDP for the fiscal year ending March 2023.India exports approximately 7500 commodities to about 190 countries, and imports around 6000 commodities from 140 countries. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the fifteen largest trading partners of India represent 61.67% of total trade by India in the financial year 2022-23 After analyzing the GDP data of Indian economy and India's export and import performances India's foreign trade is elevated even though it was affected in the COVID 19 period. As of 2023, India is the seventh largest exporter of commercial services in the world, accounting for 4.6% of global trade in services. Though the exports volume and values are increased, unfortunately India's share in the world's exports is still not up to the prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the spread of COVID-19, economic damages are challenging for governments and people's livelihood besides its dangerous and negative impact on humanity's health, which can be led to death. Various health guidelines have been proposed to tackle the virus outbreak including quarantine, restriction rules to imports, exports, migrations, and tourist arrival that were affected by economic depression. Providing an approach to predict the economic situation has a highlighted role in managing crisis when a country faces a problem such as a disease epidemic. We propose an intelligent algorithm to predict the economic situation that utilizes neural networks (NNs) to satisfy the aim. Our work estimates correlation coefficient based on the spearman method between gross domestic product rate (GDPR) and other economic statistics to find effective parameters on growing up and falling GDPR and also determined the NNs' inputs. We study the reported economic and disease statistics in Germany, India, Australia, and Thailand countries to evaluate the algorithm's efficiency in predicting economic situation. The experimental results demonstrate the prediction accuracy of approximately 96% and 89% for one and more months ahead, respectively. Our method can help governments to present efficient policies for preventing economic damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early 2000s, biofuels like biodiesel and bioethanol were seen as renewable alternatives to petroleum, driven by rising crude oil prices and environmental concerns. Palm oil became a key biodiesel raw material, turning the European Union (EU) into a major importer. However, sustainable palm oil concerns emerged in the EU in 2014, leading to trade disputes and import restrictions, with a goal to phase out palm oil biodiesel by 2030. This research explores the EU's palm oil biodiesel policy impact, focusing on key producers, EU imports (crude and refined palm oil, biodiesel), the EU's role in the global biodiesel network, and alignment with a green narrative. Analyzing trade data, we find that, despite concerns, the EU has not significantly reduced palm oil-related imports, highlighting the market's complex relationship to policy. This suggests that the EU's commitment to environmentally sustainable economic development may not align with market stakeholders' preferences, emphasizing the complex interdependencies between the global biodiesel market and policy areas like sustainability, economy, energy, and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological pest control programmes often involve the importation of exotic natural enemies, ideally followed by monitoring to discern the establishment and success of the programme. Several species of egg parasitoids in the genus Trichogramma have been released against the pomegranate butterfly, Deudorix livia, in Oman annually for nearly two decades. We estimated agri-field parasitism by Trichogramma wasps and conclude that these parasitoids are almost completely ineffective. Parasitoid emergence from D. livia eggs was almost exclusively by the naturally present wasp Telenomus nizwaensis, but this species typically achieves parasitism too late in the fruiting season to prevent economic damage. We suggest that a more targeted selection of Trichogramma species and strains is used in conjunction with improved mass-rearing or, alternatively, that active attempts to utilise Trichogramma as exotic natural enemies cease. We recommend that resources are allocated to improving parasitism, in terms of the timing and prevalence, achieved by the indigenous egg parasitoid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to analyse the seasonal movements in chicken egg prices in Türkiye. In this framework, the main material of the study consisted of data obtained from Afyonkarahisar Başmakçı Poultry Cooperative, TURKSTAT and FAO. In the study, real prices of eggs received by farmers reached its lowest value in June 2022. On the other hand, it was determined that it reached its highest value in January 1996. In the same period, on a monthly basis, it was determined that the prices received by egg producers showed a decreasing trend and price volatility continued (Y1994-2022 = -0.00001x + 0.33387; R² = 0.51568). Between 1994 and 2022, egg prices followed a highly fluctuating course. The reason for this fluctuation can be said to be the restrictions on imports and exports in some years in the egg poultry sector. The monthly price movements of Başmakçı cooperative were analysed as guide, broiler, pullets, new mother, old mother and double eggs. The average real price of pilot egg was the lowest in July with 40.89 TRY and the highest in December with 63.24 TRY. The average real price of "chicken eggs" was the lowest in July with 53.46 TRY and the highest in December with 76.33 TRY. The average real price of "Pullets" was the lowest in July with 66.36 TRY. With 88.47 TRY, it reached its highest value in December. The average real price of new mother egg was the lowest in May with 66.19 TRY and the highest in December with 92.87 TRY. The average real price of "old main egg" was the lowest in May with 69.66 TRY and the highest in December with 96.02 TRY. The average real price of double eggs was the lowest in May with 71.50 TRY and the highest in December with 97.86 TRY. Between 2003 and 2022, it was determined that the price of eggs on consumer basis increased against wheat flour, bread, apples, beef, poultry, fish and milk. As a result, in addition to the measures to be taken to ensure price stability, it was foreseen that increasing the production potential rather than import tendency in the supply of feed raw materials and a possible input subsidy to be provided to producers will contribute to price stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amazon sailfin catfish are native to Latin Arica (Siluriformes: Loricariidae: Pterygoplichthys) and are popular around the world as ornamental fish. It is well-documented that these species are highly successful invaders and very prone to forming new geographical ranges. However, once established, eradicating a new population is a very challenging task. In Bangladesh, species of the genus Pterygoplichthys are expected to spread widely and have a severe detrimental impact on ecosystem health, biodiversity and economics. Here we provide new information on the future probable establishment of non-native populations of these species in the wild using a climate-matching analysis and highlight their potential area of occurrence. The potential socio-economic consequences are also discussed, as are the public perception of these species and probable economic damages caused. Control of the import of similar species, their culture and intentional or unintentional release into open water is urgently required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the concerns of grassroots agroecology advocates regarding the funding objectives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The advocates argue that involving the USDA in agroecology research and funding poses dangers to the movement, as the USDA supports an exploitative and unsustainable agribusiness model. They emphasize the importance of agroecology as a political goal grounded in principles such as food sovereignty, feminism, Indigenous knowledge, and biodiversity. The advocates call for producers and practitioners to lead the research agenda and express opposition to USDA involvement, citing examples of contradictory U.S. government positions on agroecology and food sovereignty. They also highlight the need for economic justice for farmers and peasants, including policies that support fair prices and supply management. While critical of engagement with the USDA, the advocates hope that the process will generate positive outcomes and encourage academic partners to collaborate with grassroots movements. [Extracted from the article]

We examine the welfare effect of trade liberalization in the service industry by focusing on the Chinese movie industry. China has been maintaining an import quota of foreign movies since 1990s. Using a unique Chinese movie dataset, we first estimate a nested logit demand model. And based on the estimated demand parameters, we perform counterfactual tests by removing the movie import quota. Specifically, we quantify the loss to the domestic film makers due to greater competition with foreign competitors, and the gains to consumers from consuming more high quality movies. We find that after trade liberalization, the market share of domestic film makers falls by 21–22% on average during the sample period, whereas the gain in the consumer welfare is comparatively smaller with an increase of around 5–9%. We also find that if the domestic film makers react actively by either strategically changing the release dates or by improving the quality of the home-made movies, then the magnitude of decline in the producer welfare will reduce by a large extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tariff rate quota (TRQ) is a widely utilized market access instrument in global agricultural trade that allows a predetermined quantity of a product to be imported at a lower tariff rate than the usual rate. This study examines the design and administration of TRQ systems from an operations management perspective and analyzes their impact on market access, fill rates, and revenue for policymakers. We investigate the two most common TRQ administration methods, namely, licensing and first‐come, first‐served (FCFS) systems. We characterize the Nash equilibria (NE) of importers' strategies and observe how information delays and lead times can result in under‐utilization (i.e., imports being less than the quota limit) in licensing and over‐utilization (i.e., imports exceeding the quota limit) in FCFS TRQ systems. We introduce a dual TRQ system and demonstrate its superiority over licensing and FCFS systems. We study the effects of stock‐keeping options through customs‐bonded warehouses and the choice of logistics channels on arrival patterns and fill rates. We conduct a case study of the United Kingdom and the European Union imported beef market using customs data. Our numerical study provides an explanation for the suboptimality of the current TRQ systems and proposes modifications to transform the existing systems. Our findings offer practical directions for agricultural traders to reassess their supply chain strategies by considering the logistical implications of TRQ systems and understanding their competition. This study also urges policymakers to adopt an integrative approach in (re)designing TRQ systems, recognizing the pivotal role of supply chains in global agricultural trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we focus on retailers in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and examine the possible change in the level of corruption after the 2008-2009 Global Crisis. We focus on three events: securing government contracts, applications for an operating license, and applications for an importing license by retailers in the region. We find that fewer retailers secured or attempted to secure a government contract after the crisis ended. This may be due to overall economic activities going down during this period. We also find bribes got smaller after the crisis ended, which was a positive change. Our results show that there was no significant change in the percentage of retailers applying for an import license or the percentage that paid bribes after the crisis ended. The number of days needed to get this license went down, which was a positive change. Our results show that applications by retailers to get an operating license went down, which might also be due to overall activities going down. The percentage that paid bribes to get an operating license got smaller, which was a positive change. On the other hand, the number of days needed to get an operating license went up, which was a negative change. Overall, we can conclude that there were some positive changes in terms of corruption facing retailers in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Locus: Penelitian dan Pengabdian is the property of Riviera Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

African horse sickness is an equine orbivirus transmitted by Culicoides Latreille biting midges. In the last 80 years, it has caused several devastating outbreaks in the equine population in Europe, the Far and Middle East, North Africa, South-East Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. The disease is endemic in South Africa; however, a unique control area has been set up in the Western Cape where increased surveillance and control measures have been put in place. A deterministic metapopulation model was developed to explore if an outbreak might occur, and how it might develop, if a latently infected horse was to be imported into the control area, by varying the geographical location and months of import. To do this, a previously published ordinary differential equation model was developed with a metapopulation approach and included a vaccinated horse population. Outbreak length, time to peak infection, number of infected horses at the peak, number of horses overall affected (recovered or dead), re-emergence, and Rv (the basic reproduction number in the presence of vaccination) were recorded and displayed using GIS mapping. The model predictions were compared to previous outbreak data to ensure validity. The warmer months (November to March) had longer outbreaks than the colder months (May to September), took more time to reach the peak, and had a greater total outbreak size with more horses infected at the peak. Rv appeared to be a poor predictor of outbreak dynamics for this simulation. A sensitivity analysis indicated that control measures such as vaccination and vector control are potentially effective to manage the spread of an outbreak, and shortening the vaccination window to July to September may reduce the risk of vaccine-associated outbreaks. Author summary: African Horse Sickness is a devastating global equine disease which results in high numbers of deaths. In South Africa it is considered endemic, and this poses implications for trade and exportation of horses out of the country. As a result, South Africa has developed a "control area" where there are increased surveillance and control strategies to keep it free from African horse sickness. Our research explores where and how an outbreak may occur in the "control area" if a horse harbouring the virus were to be imported into the region. We developed a mathematical simulation which considered the differences in horse population numbers, midge population numbers, environmental temperature, and vaccination status of horses in different areas across the "control area". This helped to determine how many horses would be affected at the end of the outbreak as well as at the peak, how long the outbreak would occur, and the reproduction number (Rv), and how this varied across the study area. Our research uncovers insights into the African horse sickness outbreak dynamics of the "control area" and helps provide information to further develop control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nigeria is a major rice-producing and rice-importing country in Africa, challenged with ensuring rice-food security for its growing population. Successive governments have implemented several strategies to increase local rice production such as rice import restriction policies and agricultural investments. These strategies have yielded results but achieving long-term sustainable growth in Nigeria's rice agri-food system has remained elusive. Addressing food security and sustainability in agri-food systems requires a systemsthinking approach. In this study, we applied two systems thinking techniques, fuzzy cognitive mapping (for describing the system structure and behavior) and archetype analysis (to reveal generic system archetypes and effective strategies to improve the system). Our analysis revealed three system archetypes: limits to success, fixes that fail, and drifting goals. Rice production is limited by low agricultural productivity indicating the "limits to success" archetype. Farmers tend to increase rice area as a "quick fix" to productivity issues but this quick fix leads to unintended consequences such as soil degradation (fixes that fail archetype). Additionally, because of the importrestriction policies generating an unmet demand for rice, the government may face pressure to lower the goal of self-sufficiency falling into the "drifting goals" archetype. However, our analysis shows that suspending import-restriction policies would result in undesirable system states, with reduced demand for local rice and lower rice production. Our results underscore the importance of government policies in increasing rice production sustainably and ensuring food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy cows are one of the strategic livestock in Indonesia. However, increased dairy demand, which exceeds domestic dairy production, increases dairy import quantity. As dairy import increases, import tariff as an import restriction policy can be used to protect the sustainability of domestic dairy production. This study aimed to investigate the impact of import tariff policy on dairy supply and demand in Indonesia. This study used secondary data obtained from various official institutions. Factors determining dairy supply and demand were estimated using two-stage least squares (2SLS), and the impact of import tariff policy was estimated using a simultaneous equation system model. The empirical results indicate that the import tariff policy has a positive impact on dairy supply and a negative impact on dairy demand. Import tariffs were a factor determining the positive impact on dairy production, dairy cow population, and domestic dairy prices. The import tariff policy also had a negative impact on decreasing the quantity of dairy imports. It is concluded that import tariffs could be an important dairy import restriction policy to protect domestic dairy production and dairy producers in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses machine learning techniques to capture heterogeneity in free trade agreements. The tools of machine learning allow us to quantify several features of trade agreements, including volume, comprehensiveness, and legal enforceability. Combining machine learning results with gravity analysis of trade, we find that more comprehensive agreements result in larger estimates of the impact of trade agreements. In addition, we identify the policy provisions that have the most substantial effect on creating trade flows. In particular, legally binding provisions on antidumping, capital mobility, competition, customs harmonization, dispute settlement mechanism, e-commerce, environment, export and import restrictions, freedom of transit, investment, investor-state dispute settlement, labor, public procurement, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, services, technical barriers to trade, telecommunications, and transparency tend to have the largest trade creation effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How did the Japanese government defend its postwar capital controls against foreign criticism within the wider discourse surrounding the liberalization of cross-border capital f lows? This paper argues that it was relying on the so-called "balance of payments rationale," a rhetoric linking the annual in- and outf lows of foreign money to current and future states of the national economy, to justify its continued application of foreign capital import controls between 1950 and 1967. It traces how legal, diplomatic, and economic conditions enabled the balance of payments rationale to assume this role. As the control of capital imports was an important element of Japan's postwar industrial policy, maintaining it was deemed essential for the country's economic development. Thus, the initial conditions of the capital liberalization discourse coupled with the effective use of the balance of payments rationale enabled the Japanese government to retain this important industrial policy tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SIRIUS - Zeitschrift fur Strategische Analysen is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the increasing problem of medicine shortages in the UK primary care system, with various factors contributing to the issue. Medicine shortages can be caused by demand surge, capacity reduction, and coordination failure within the complex medicine supply network. Current solutions include Serious Shortage Protocols and regulatory actions by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, while future solutions may involve encouraging generic prescribing and empowering community pharmacists with limited prescribing rights. The article emphasizes the need for additional solutions and interprofessional collaboration to address the impact of medicine shortages on patients and healthcare professionals. [Extracted from the article]