This paper builds on the earlier modelling exercise by Ahmed and Bernard (1989) for application in the rice price-stabilization procedure in Bangladesh. In fact, the paper extends the earlier model which was based on annual data to a disaggregated version based on seasonal data. Since both domestic procurement and open market sales of foodgrains, the two main instruments at the disposal of the government are essentially seasonal operations influenced by seasonal factors, a more disaggregated approach using seasonal data is considered more appropriate to estimate the quantities of grains to be procured during the harvest season and sold in the lean season to achieve the floor and ceiling price targets. Such a consistent derivation of quantity targets would not only contribute towards the preparation of a more realistic food budget but would also assist in better targeting of policy instruments for reducing both inter and intra (seasonal) year fluctuation of foodgrain prices in Bangladesh

Supply response of the major crops have been estimated for the period 1971/72 to 1987/88 using the Nerlovian dynamic models through an Instrumental Variable Nonlinear Least Squares (IV-NLS)/Maximum Likelihood (IV-ML) method. The results are compared with the other studies and appeared the supply responses, particularly, for rice varieties and varietal types, and wheat have increased during the Bangladesh years. As the high yielding rice varieties appeared more responsive to real price changes, favourable price regimes, varietal improvement and also extended irrigation facilities would enhance more area substitution towards high yielding varieties.

Labour supply of self employed workers needs separate analysis from the labour supply of wage workers because the market wage rate may not represent an opportunity cost for the first group. This received inadequate attention as the studies on family enterprises focussed their attention on allocation of total family labour input rather than an individual worker’s labour input. Empirical studies did not properly rake into account the distinction between self employment labour supply and wage employment and/or the presence of multiple workers in the family enterprises. The present study estimated labour supply function of male and female workers engaged in family enterprises financed by the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. It is observed that the characteristics of the family and the enterprise influence male and female labour supply functions in different directions and in varying magnitudes.

This paper is based on primary information collected through an ‘extensive survey’ (village level data obtained from knowledgeable persons) of 50 villages and ‘intensive survey’ of 600 households in five locations in Tamil Nadu State in India. It examined the impact of the adoption of high yielding varieties of rice (HYV) on labour market adjustments by looking at permanent and  seasonal migration of people across study locations, and analysing the determinants of the variations in labour use and wage rates. The paper concludes that HYV adoption has significant positive effect on the use of both family and hired labour, but has no significant effect on the wage rates in any of the agricultural operations. The adoption of HYV is found positively associated with tractor rental which may have had dampened the labour using effect of the diffusion of HYVs. The paper also finds positive association between population growth rates and the adoption of HYVs, and argues that migration of people from favourable to less favourable regions tends to equalize the wage rate.