Price-induced technical progress in Italian agriculture.

Abstract

In this paper we aim at investigating the price-induced innovation hypothesis in Italian agriculture. We generalize the framework of analysis proposed by Peeters and Surry (2000). The generalization includes a short-run specification of the dual technology as well as a quadratic spline in a time variable. We argue that the temporary equilibrium setting gives a more realistic representation of how relative prices may steer innovation and variable input bias over time, while the quadratic function has desirable properties with respect the splined variable, i.e., a more flexible treatment of exogenous technical change.;Results provide evidence in favour of price-induced innovation in Italian agriculture over the years 1951 to 1991.