Indonesia is the fifth largest cocoa-producing country in the world, and an increase in cocoa farming efficiency can help farmers to increase their per capita income and reduce poverty in rural areas of this country. This research evaluated the efficiency of Indonesian cocoa farms using a non-parametric approach. The results revealed that the majority of cocoa farms are operated relatively inefficiently. The average technical and allocative efficiencies (0.82 and 0.46, respectively) of these cocoa farms demonstrated that there is potential for improvement. The potential cost reductions range from 36 to 76%, with an average of 60%, if farmers practice efficiently. The technical and allocative efficiencies and cocoa farm economies are affected by the use of quality seeds, organic fertilizers, frequency of extension and training of farm managers, access to bank credit and the market, the participation of women, and the farm manager’s gender. An increase in the output would increase farmers’ income and reduce poverty in rural areas. This research suggests that the availability of extension and training provided to farmers as well as support for women farmer groups should be increased. Credit programs are also important for cocoa farmers, so policymakers should develop programs that make production credit more accessible for farmers, especially through cooperatives and banks.

The insurance company has different characteristics with other companies, so that performance appraisal of insurance company use specific ratios created by The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). This study aims to examine the effect of financial ratios of insurance company, namely change in surplus ratio, incurred loss ratio, liquidity ratio, premium growth, firm size and risk based capital (RBC) to forecast the possibility of financial distress, a deteriorating financial condition prior to the bankruptcy of non-life insurance companies registered in Indonesia Insurance Directory in period 2010-2014. The insurance companies which experiencing financial distress is determined based on negative net profit for two consecutive years. By using purposive sampling obtained 63 samples of insurance companies, 53 companies experiencing non-financial distress, 10 companies experiencing financial distress. The method used in this study using logistic regression. The result indicates that the variable of incurred loss ratio, liquidity (liabilities to liquid asset) ratio are positive and significant effect on the occurrence of financial distress. Firm size variable has a negative and significant effect on the occurrence of financial distress, while change in surplus ratio, premium growth ratio and risk based capital have no significant effect on the insurance company's financial distress.

No abstract

Acetylation is a method of chemically modified starch that can be used to improve the physicochemical properties of starch. The aim of the study was to obtain the pH and concentration of acetic anhydride which gave the best effect on the physicochemical characteristics of acetylated sago starch. The study was arranged using a completely randomized design with a factorial pattern in combination with a suspension pH of 7.0; 8.0; 9.0 and 10.0 with acetic anhydride concentrations of 3%, 6%, 9%, 12% and 15% (volume/weight). The parameters of research include acetyl percent, degree of substitution (DS), water holding capacity (WHC), oil holding capacity (OHC), swelling power, solubility and degree of clarity of the paste. The results at research showed that the combination suspension pH of 8 and 15% concentration of acetic anhydride gave optimal physicochemical characteristics of acetylated sago starch. The all concentrations of acetic anhydride (3 to 15%, v/w) were acetyl percent, DS, solubility and the degree of clarity of the paste increased with the increasing. The WHC and OHC tend the decreasing with the increasing concentration of acetic anhydride. Swelling power was stable with increasing concentration of acetic anhydride.

No abstract