Economias de escala e tamanho ótimo da empresa avícola no estado do Amazonas

Resumo

The relative increase in prices of poultry products compared to costs of production suggests to the poultry farmers as well as to those responsible for livestock policies a more effective means of raising producer incomes.

This study investigated the economies of scale or size on poultry enterprises through increasing the sizeof flock as one alternative open to the egg producers that supply Manaus and its vicinity in the state of Amazonas. Specifically the nature of the economies of size and the size of the smallest cost enterprise was determined in the area using a sample of 96 of the 100 poultry enterprises located in the region.

The analysis was based on cost functions derived from the production function. A total cost of production equation was estimated using annual volume of production as the independent variable. After establishing the equation and making linear transformations,they were estimated using the orthodox minimum least squares estimating technique. To evaluate the equations that represent the average total cost and average variable cost functions, the Student t test, the multiple coefficient of determination (RZ), the partial correlation coefficient and correlation matrix were used.

The analysis indicated the persence of economies as well as diseconomies of scale in the area studied. The level of production that minimizes the cost of producing eggs was on the order of 552 thousand eggs per year per farm. It was estimated that 68% of the farm businesses had an annual volume of less than 524 thousand eggs per year, which indicates that these farmers could reduce unit costs simply by increasing their size of business.

Another major concusion is derived from the contrast between the average price and costs for the various enterprises. A substantial part of the egg producers were operating at a loss.

Production technology appears to be as important or even more important than the scale of production.

New research is needed to determine the types and combi- nations of resources that will result in least cost egg production in that region.