Environmental efficiency analysis of China's vegetable production.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze and estimate the environmental efficiency of China's vegetable production.


METHODS
The stochastic translog frontier model was used to estimate the technical efficiency of vegetable production. Based on the estimated frontier and technical inefficiency levels, we used the method developed by Reinhard, et al. to estimate the environmental efficiency. Pesticide and chemical fertilizer inputs were treated as environmentally detrimental inputs.


RESULTS
From estimated results, the mean environmental efficiency for pesticide input was 69.7%, indicating a great potential for reducing pesticide use in China's vegetable production. In addition, substitution and output elasticities for vegetable farms were estimated to provide farmers with helpful information on how to reallocate input resources and improve efficiency.


CONCLUSIONS
There exists a great potential for reducing pesticide use in China's vegetable production.
Zhang
Tao
T
Jiangsu Institute for Industrial Economics Research, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing 210003, Jiangsu, China. Taozhang7608@hotmail.com
Xue
Bao-Di
BD
D000383:Agriculture; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D004651:Employment; D005308:Fertilizers; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010575:Pesticides; D014675:Vegetables
D005308:Fertilizers; D010575:Pesticides