Journal of International Economics Research
JIER
Pending
10.54216/JIER
https://www.americaspg.com/journals/show/4225
2025
2025
Hedging Price Risks in the Agricultural Sector: Theoretical Foundations and Practical Application of Futures, Options, and Insurance Instruments
DSc, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Department of Corporate Economics and Management, Tashkent State University of Economics, Uzbekistan
Akmal
Akmal
Increasing price volatility in agricultural markets poses a serious challenge to income stability and investment planning for agricultural producers, particularly in transition economies such as Uzbekistan. Market liberalization, exposure to global commodity price fluctuations, climate-related shocks, and exchange rate movements have intensified price risks in the agricultural sector, making traditional administrative and ad hoc support mechanisms insufficient. Under these conditions, the relevance of market-based price risk management instruments has grown substantially. The purpose of this article is to examine the theoretical foundations and practical applicability of price risk hedging instruments - namely futures, options, and agricultural insurance - in the agricultural sector of Uzbekistan. The study is based on an analytical and empirical approach that combines descriptive statistical analysis, variance-based hedging effectiveness assessment, and comparative analysis of international practices. The empirical dataset covers monthly price observations for key agricultural commodities in Uzbekistan over the period 2015–2024 (n = 360). The results show that price volatility, measured by the coefficient of variation, reaches 21.6% for fruits and 24.3% for vegetables, compared to 14.8% for wheat and 11.2% for cotton. Simulated hedging scenarios demonstrate that the application of price hedging instruments reduces income volatility from 22.5% under unhedged conditions to 13.4% under hedged conditions, corresponding to a variance reduction of up to 41.3%, depending on the commodity. The study substantiates the effectiveness of combining market-based hedging instruments with agricultural insurance to enhance income stability. The practical significance of the results lies in their applicability for developing risk-oriented agricultural policies and financial instruments, while the theoretical contribution consists in adapting classical hedging concepts to the institutional conditions of Uzbekistan’s agricultural sector.
2025
2025
07
14
10.54216/JIER.020102
https://www.americaspg.com/articleinfo/42/show/4225