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Abstract
This study develops an expected utility model to examine Chinese fruit farmers’
adoption of a newly introduced production technology, the artisan fruit production
technique. We analyzed a three-stage adoption process and examined factors
influencing farmers’ adoption decision in each stage. Survey data collected from 398
fruit farmers were used to quantify farmers’ probability to understand, actually adopt,
and determine the magnitude of adoption. We found that farmers’ adoption varies with
their education, plans to expand, and their risk concerns regarding the new technology.
We also detected that adoption changes with farm accessibility to government
supported agricultural assistances and the availability of privately funded fruit
cooperatives. Overall the three-stage adoption framework performs well in adjusting
potential sample selection bias problems.