摘要：Changes in agricultural policies, decreases in the competitive structure of agricultural markets and the increasing dominance of non-farm activities in the food chain, have put smaller and moderate-scale agricultural operations at risk. Large operations can, because of their volume of sales, earn respectable incomes. However, smaller operations that have to rely on commodity production will, in the new policy and economic environment, face a daunting challenge. That challenge is reflected in the record low percentage of the retail cost of various commodities that accrue to farmers. As shown in Table 1, the farm share of retail prices for various commodity groups range from approximately 7 percent in the case of cereals and baked goods to 46 percent for eggs. The average farm share is 18-21 percent for fresh and processed fruits and vegetables.
