Does Farmland Transfer Contribute to Reduction of Chemical Fertilizer Use? Evidence from Heilongjiang Province, China

Ningbo Cui (), Xuezhen Ba, Jin Dong and Xiaofan Fan
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Ningbo Cui: College of Economics and Management, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Xuezhen Ba: College of Economics and Management, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Jin Dong: College of Economics and Management, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Xiaofan Fan: College of Economics and Management, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 18, 1-15

Abstract: Promoting the reduction of chemical fertilizers is an important measure to promote the green and sustainable development of agriculture. Farmland transfer is a new way to minimize the need of chemical fertilizers. However, there is debate over this causality. This paper examines the relationship between farmland transfer and chemical fertilizer reduction. After the theoretical analysis, based on the data of 442 corn farmers in Heilongjiang Province, the study employed the endogenous switching probit model to empirically test the effect of farmland transfer on the reduction of chemical fertilizer. The study finds that in the survey area, the overall actual chemical fertilizer application rate was 12.12 kg/mu higher than the economic optimal application rate, which had more room for chemical fertilizer reduction. Moreover, farmland transfer-in reduced the chemical fertilizer application during corn production. If farmland transfer-in farmers decided not to transfer into the farmland, the chemical fertilizer reduction treatment effect would decrease, while it would increase if farmland non-transfer-in farmers decided to transfer into the farmland. Finally, the chemical fertilizer reduction treatment effect would decrease if farmers who had transferred into farmland concentratedly chose to transfer into farmland dispersedly, while it would increase if farmers who had transferred into farmland dispersedly chose to transfer into farmland concentratedly. These findings can provide experience for achieving more effective farmland transfer and chemical fertilizer reduction.

Keywords: farmland transfer; chemical fertilizer reduction; corn growers; Heilongjiang province (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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