Cobb-Douglas, Translog Stochastic Production Function and Data Envelopment Analysis in Total Factor Productivity in Brazilian Agribusiness

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to apply a Cobb-Douglas, Translog Stochastic Production Function and Data Envelopment Analysis in order to estimate inefficiencies over time as well as respective TFP (Total Factor Productivity) sources for main Brazilian grain crops - namely, rice, beans, maize, soybeans and wheat - throughout the most recent data available comprising the period 2001-2006. The results indicate that, although positive changes exist in TFP for the sample analyzed, a decline in the use of technology has been evidenced for all grain crops in which it is observed a historical downfall in the use of inputs in Brazilian agriculture