A MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF ASPARAGUS PRICES IN MICHIGAN: 1956 TO 1970

Michigan ranks among the top five asparagus producing states in the United States; ranking forth in production, and second in its seasonal group. As of 1970, the five leading states in asparagus were: (1) California, (2) New Jersey, (3) Washington, (4) Michigan, and (5) Illinois. Although the total acreages employed for asparagus production has been decreasing -3,800 acres between 1969 and 1970 -Michigan's has been increasing - 900 acres for the same period. The marked decrease in asparagus production over the past decade may be explained by strong foreign competition, especially from Taiwan since 1964; and from competing enterprises in certain areas and from asparagus farms sharing in the natural attrition of all farms in the U.S. The objective of this study is to analyze the asparagus price situation in Michigan and to develop forecast equations for Michigan asparagus prices