Farmers' adoption of new plant varieties under variety property right protection: Evidence from rural China

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that affect farm acceptance of the new seeds. This paper develops a Bivariate Probit model with adjusted sample selection bias to analyze Chinese farmers' sequential decision‐making process in their adoption of plant new varieties (new seeds) under the new Variety Property Right Protection System.

Design/methodology/approach

Face‐to‐face interviews with farm households in 22 provinces were used to gather questionnaire information. A total of 341 surveys were collected and analyzed using a Bivariate Probit model adjusted for sample selection bias problems. Descriptive statistics for each selected variable used in the model are also presented.

Findings

This study concluded that farm location, land size, farm perceived dealer reputation, and farmer‐to‐farmer word‐of‐mouth information were found to be important factors that affect farm adoption of new seeds.

Originality/value

This study is based on first‐hand survey information collected by the researchers. Thus, the results are original and were not published elsewhere.

Citation

Zheng, S., Xu, P. and Wang, Z. (2012), "Farmers' adoption of new plant varieties under variety property right protection: Evidence from rural China", China Agricultural Economic Review, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 124-140. https://doi.org/10.1108/17561371211196810