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MICHAEL P. CAMERON, ROLF GERRITSEN, AZIZUR RAHMAN

Page Number - 1

This study examines output divergence and club convergence across 63 provinces in Vietnam during the period 2010–2023. The study found that the provincial level of real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita diverged over the study period. However, all 63 provinces could be grouped into six convergence clubs. This study also employs Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques to examine whether high-performing provinces are geographically concentrated around Vietnam’s economic centres. In further insights into the six convergence clubs using analytical techniques, we found that the convergence Club 1 includes 21 provinces with the highest per capita real GDP, total investment, and foreign direct investment (FDI), which contrasts with the provinces of the remaining Clubs 2–6. Based on our findings, three policies are recommended to reduce income inequality across the provinces of Vietnam.

HOANG-ANH DUONG, XUAN-BINH (BENJAMIN) VU, TAM-HOA VU, NHU-QUYNH LE, THI-HANG TANG, TRUNG-HIEU LE

Page Number - 3

The size of grain harvests are increasing in most Australian states, enabling farmers to supply increasing volumes of grain to domestic and international customers. There is a market preference to supply international customers in the months prior to the availability of the northern hemisphere grain harvest that commences from June. To expedite export sales of Australian grain, most owners and operators of regional export grain supply chains in Australia are increasing their investments in the velocity, reliability, and capacity of their export grain supply chains. Larger volumes of Australian grain are now more rapidly exported. But what are the ramifications of these investments? Drawing on historical datasets of regional grain production, domestic grain consumption, and grain exports in each Australian state, this paper explores the national and state impacts of the enhanced investments in Australia’s export grain supply chains. The implications for Australian farmers, domestic consumers of grains, and owners of grain supply chain infrastructure are discussed. Farmers benefit from the enhanced capacity and velocity of grain flows in Australia’s grain supply chains, but in some eastern states in particular years, food price inflation may be triggered whenever more grain more quickly leaves Australia’s shores prior to a severe emerging drought that constrains future local grain supplies and places upward pressure on local grain prices. In periods of prolonged drought, concerns about domestic food price inflation may lead to social and political pressure for changes to grain export and grain import policies and additional investments to facilitate interstate grain flows.

HEMALI KANTHILANKA, ROSS KINGWELL

Page Number - 25

This paper explores the rural urbanisation process, infrastructure status (physical, social, and agricultural), and development of rural non-agricultural activities in West Bengal, India. The study examines how new urban growth relates to infrastructure deconcentration and how rural infrastructure contributes to the expansion of non-farm activities. Key findings indicate a Kolkata metropolitan-centric urbanisation pattern, with neighbouring districts like Howrah, Hooghly, and North 24-Parganas showing high urban growth, while rural areas experience low urbanisation. The state has witnessed a surge in the number of census towns, accompanied by uneven infrastructure development across districts. Rural enterprises in West Bengal remain largely informal, with limited employment capacity. Districts with better infrastructure, such as Bardhaman, Howrah and Hooghly, have higher percentages of non-agricultural enterprises employing hired workers, reinforcing the link between infrastructure and non-agricultural activity growth. Policy recommendations include targeted investments in infrastructure to support rural non-farm activities and local employment creation, especially in districts with lagging infrastructure.

SUBRATA DUTTA

Page Number - 64

Peripheral, staples-based regions around the world are often subjected to disempowering “development” processes by international, national, and subnational forces. The remote regions of northern Australia are some of the most marginalised regions in Australia, despite holding critical mineral and energy resources, major defence establishments and vital transport links. Using a mixed methodology of economic analysis, document review and semi-structured interviews, this paper examines economic development planning for the Katherine region of the Northern Territory of Australia from 2014 to 2021 and contrasts this with a place-based development approach. Ostensibly building on the region’s comparative advantages, formal economic strategies developed at the Federal and Territory scale are focused primarily on industries and projects that increase revenue for higher levels of government and large corporations, rather than creating local employment. These plans are unlikely to diversify the economic structure of the Katherine region and lead to truly sustainable development.

SANDRA LEUTWILER

Page Number - 93