Efficiency Analysis of Grain Production Inputs: Utilization in China from an Agricultural Sustainability Perspective

Agricultural input surpluses cause severe environmental pollution and natural resource depletion; thus, the need to improve the utilization efficiency of agricultural inputs has become urgent. For this purpose, a data envelopment analysis was used to analyze the technical efficiency of agricultural inputs for major grain production in 13 grain-producing provinces at a macrolevel; farmers’ behavioral characteristics with regard to input application were subsequently determined at a microlevel. The results indicated that most provinces had lower technical efficiency scores. Liaoning (0.697) and Jiangxi (0.724) had much lower technical scores for rice production; Hebei (0.758), Jiangsu (0.720), Anhui (0.719), Shandong (0.762) and Henan (0.702), which had larger yields, tended to have lower technical efficiency for wheat production. Finally, Neimenggu (1), Liaoning (1), Jilin (0.868) and Heilongjiang (0.976), which had higher maize yields, had much higher technical efficiency scores for maize production. Many provinces were operating on decreasing returns to scale and the need to decrease planting scale systems. The regions with larger grain output or lower technical efficiency scores tended to have higher optimal savings of agricultural inputs. Respondents in the main grain-producing area had higher ages and lower education levels. The respondents lacked knowledge regarding environmental regulations and input safety usage standards. Most farmers thought that it was important to apply agricultural inputs properly, but they continued to operate as they usually did with such behaviors as ignoring instructions or changing the dosages casually. Moreover, the farmers rarely adopted eco-friendly production technologies. Therefore, it is necessary to promote scientific-technical progress, improve technology extension services, highlight market-based decisions, and improve supportive policies.