Author(s): SOUZA, G. da S. e; GOMES, E. G.; GAZZOLA, R.; WANDER, A. E.; SOUZA, R. da S.

Summary: In this study we assessed the technical efficiency of the 27 Brazilian states in the years 1995/96 and 2006. The ata on land and labor were otained from the agricultural census of the two considered periods. Data on credit for investment and running costs were obtained from the Brazilian Central Bank reports. In the analysis we used a DEA CCR model and a stochastic frontier with technical effects. The second model better fit the data, with 99% of correlation between predicted and observed values. The results show that Distrito Federal had the highest technical efficiency in agriculture in 2006 and the second highest in 1995/96. The lowest technical efficiency was found int Piauí in 2006 and in Tocantins in 1995/96. The estimated elasticities show that increases of 1% in per captia income would increase the technical efficiency by 0.77% in the North, by 0.76% in the Northeast, by o.59% in teh Center-west, by 0.56% in the South and by 0.49% in the Southeas region.

Publication year: 2009

Types of publication: Paper in annals and proceedings

Keywords: Elasticity, Stochastic frontier, Technical efficiency, agriculture