Contribution of Standardization to Agricultural Development in China

Lingyu Li, Chenxia Hu, Alan L. Wright, Gang Lian (), Lijun Zhou and Jing Yang
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Lingyu Li: College of Economics and Management, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Chenxia Hu: College of Economics and Management, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Alan L. Wright: Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida-IFAS, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
Gang Lian: Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Ecological and Environmental Monitoring, Forewarning and Quality Control, Zhejiang Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Hangzhou 310012, China
Lijun Zhou: College of Economics and Management, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Jing Yang: College of Economics and Management, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-19

Abstract: As a key facilitator of agricultural technology diffusion, the development and implementation of agricultural standards significantly shape future agricultural technology innovation. This study analyzes China’s agricultural economic development from 2004 to 2019. It integrates agricultural standard stocks and patent stocks into a Cobb–Douglas production function. Patents serve as a proxy for technological progress, reflecting innovation capacity, while standards represent the institutionalization and diffusion of technological advancements. The analysis focuses on the average annual growth rates of agricultural capital, labor, patents, and standards to clarify their respective contributions to agricultural development. The results show that capital contributes 19.951%, though constrained by inefficiencies. Labor accounts for 38.779% but shows negative elasticity (−0.403%), reflecting the decline of rural labor and the need for mechanization. Patents contribute the most at 42.021%, though limited by weak technology diffusion. Agricultural standards contribute 5.323%, with their impact restricted by adoption barriers. The findings highlight the growing role of technological innovation in agriculture. Strengthening standardization systems and promoting broader adoption of agricultural standards are key to advancing sustainable agricultural development in China.

Keywords: standardization; agriculture; production function; agricultural development; agricultural economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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