Economic efficiency in Polish peasant farming: An international perspective

One decade following the market transition in Poland, the agricultural sect or still exhibits low productivity. Policy makers often describe the sector as fragmented and inefficient. To understand why small-scale farming in Po land is inefficient despite longstanding secure property rights, a survey o f economic efficiency in Southern agriculture was conducted and compared wi th limited studies of efficiency in Poland. The most important issues, part icularly related to farm size and efficiency, are price risk, uncertainty a nd low rural development. Comparative studies across regions with varying i nstitutional arrangements and economic organization are powerful, but must be made carefully and critically.