SOCIOECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF RURAL HOUSEHOLD FOOD EXPENDITURES IN RAWALPINDI
Hafiz Saqib Habib*, Arshad Mahmood Malik*, Abid Ali** and Muhammad Aamir Khan***
ABSTRACT
Higher food expenditures disturb the delicate balance of allocated decisions of household monthly expenditures. Several past studies in Pakistan have been committed on determining household consumer's characteristics on requirement for specific kinds of food; however less consideration has been devoted to the parameters of household food expenditures. Present study aimed to analyze the socioeconomic factors effecting total food expenditures of households in rural area of Rawalpindi tehsil. Respondents were selected randomly and data were collected through questionnaire. A multiple double log regression model was used because it has an advantage that estimated parameter can easily be explained as expendi-tures elasticity. This model is used to give details of responses in socioeconomic factors to monthly household food expenditures. Regression analysis showed that 23 % of the changes in the food expenditures were due to explanatory variables. Household incomes, marital status of household head and number of earners variables have significant impact on households' food expenditures. The qualification of household head, age and gender were insignificant regarding impacts on households' food expenditures. All the socioeconomic factors were positively elastic regarding food expenditures except marital status variable. Engels law analysis regarding necessities such as food items was confirmed by the food expenditures value of 0.20. The study provides important food policy tools reducingnegative impacts ofhigher food expenditures on ruralhouseholds.
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