Z. Gokalp Goktolga and Kemal Esengun
The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors affecting the consumers' willingness to pay higher prices for genetically unmodified products.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors affecting the consumers' willingness to pay higher prices for genetically unmodified products.
Design/methodology/approach
Tomato was selected as a model crop. Data used in this study were gathered from questionnaires conducted in Tokat province of Turkey in April 2006. Questionnaires were accomplished via face‐to‐face interviews over 262 households. “Ordered logit model” was used in determining the factors that affect the willingness of consumers for higher prices for genetically unmodified products. Ordered models are those that limit dependent variables to certain intervals. According to the results, variables of household size, monthly household income, household's monthly food consumption expenditure and level of consumers' sensitivity over the issue affected the willingness to pay higher prices for genetically unmodified products.
Findings
Results of the study indicated that household size and monthly household income had negative effects on the willingness to pay extra, while monthly food expenditure and concern had positive effects.
Originality/value
The results of the study will be beneficial for the policy makers, producers, consumers and those conducting research in this area alike. Carrying out studies aimed at determining consumer preference, such as this, will help form consumer consciousness, especially in Turkey, to protect consumer health.
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Oğulcan Kemal Sagun and Hülya Sayğı
Demand for fishery products rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and omega fatty acids has been increasing daily to meet the world population's increasing nutritional request…
Abstract
Purpose
Demand for fishery products rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and omega fatty acids has been increasing daily to meet the world population's increasing nutritional request, estimated to be 7.6 billion. Despite aquatic products' positive effects on human health, their consumption in Turkey has decreased over time and is currently lower than most countries with 6.3 kg per capita. The reason why fish consumption in Turkey is less than in other countries is the more preference for terrestrial production. Therefore, it was aimed to determine the consumption habits of consumers in Turkey's coastal region.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was carried out between Feb–March 2018 to determine the consumption habits of aquatic products; 28 areas in the coastal regions of Turkey random were selected, 650 volunteer consumers were randomly selected to answer a set of 25 questions. The survey results were evaluated by Chi-square analysis.
Findings
From the survey results, 81.4% of the respondents prefer to consume fish from the natural environment. Additionally, from the consumers, there was no statistical difference between natural (81.4%) and aquaculture (85.4%) fish taste (p = 0.05). It was found that 63% of the participants consumed fish meat once a week, with an average per capita consumption of 17.50 ± 2.34 and 10.50 ± 1.66 kg for fish and other seafood consumption, respectively. As a result, it was estimated that fish products were consumed at the desired level in the provinces examined. Accordingly, individuals need to be more conscious and encouraged to increase the consumption of seafood.
Research limitations/implications
Because Turkey's seafood consumption is still held in coastal regions in this article are the limitations of this article results. In the future, the difference between inland and coastal regions for fish consumption needs to be explored further.
Practical implications
The article says exports of fish / fisheries products have gradually decreased due to the global COVID-19 crisis, but producers / markets will have to target the domestic market more and sales with TL will come to the fore. As a result, it was estimated that fish products were consumed at the desired level in the studied provinces. Accordingly, it has been revealed that individuals should be more conscious and encouraged to increase their consumption of seafood.
Social implications
Through this research, the consumption of fisheries consumption preferences of individuals in Turkey's coastal regions uncovered.
Originality/value
On the other hand, since Turkey's aquaculture and fisheries sector attaches great importance to foreign sales (exports), domestic consumption amounts are low, and the issue of increasing this is an issue that has remained in the background for the producer. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic period, it was well understood that the closing of the customs gates partially and/or completely and the export figures becoming scanty will cause the end of 2020 and 2021 to be more troublesome in this sense. Therefore, producers/markets will have to target the domestic market more, and sales with TL (Turkish Lira) will come to the fore, various campaigns and price reductions will be made during some special hours during the day in order to increase sales in domestic market.
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Muhammad Ahad, Saqib Farid and Zaheer Anwer
In the presence of informal sector in the country, designing an energy policy and the pursuit of higher economic growth become challenging for emerging economies. These economies…
Abstract
Purpose
In the presence of informal sector in the country, designing an energy policy and the pursuit of higher economic growth become challenging for emerging economies. These economies are usually resource starved, and the presence of underground economy leads to faulty estimates of energy demand. The authors explore the energy–growth nexus in the presence of underground economy for Pakistan, an emerging economy host to large informal sector and facing recurring energy crises.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors evaluate the impact of underground economy on energy demand in the presence of explanatory variables, including official gross domestic product (GDP), foreign direct investment and financial development. The authors first assess the influence of official economy on the consumption of energy. The authors investigate how energy consumption is influenced solely by underground economy. Finally, the authors evaluate the impact of true GDP on the energy consumption. The authors employ combined cointegration method of Bayer and Hanck (2013) and then apply vector error correction model.
Findings
The results reveal that official GDP, underground economy and true GDP positively and significantly affect energy consumption in both short and long run. Similarly, financial development as well as foreign direct investment enhance energy consumption. The authors find unidirectional causality between energy consumption and official GDP variables (OGDP → EC), underground economy (UE → EC) and true GDP variables (TGDP → EC) in the long run. The authors observe bidirectional causality in the short run between energy consumption and official GDP (OGDP ↔ EC) and true GDP (TGDP ↔ EC).
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, no study examines the causal relationship of energy consumption and underground economy. Overall, the findings assist policymakers to consider and implement different energy-related policies considering the significant role of underground economy for energy consumption in Pakistan.