A comparative study of difficulties in accounting preparation and judgement in agriculture using fair value and historical cost for biological assets valuation

This paper presents empirical research comparing the accounting difficulties that arise from the use of two valuation methods for biological assets, fair value (FV) and historical cost (HC) accounting, in the agricultural sector. It also compares how reliable each valuation method is in the decision...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Garcia-Blandon, Josep, Argilés-Bosch, J.M., Sabata, Anna
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2010
País:España
Institución:Universitat Ramon Llull (URL)
Repositorio:DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llull
OAI Identifier:oai:dau.url.edu:20.500.14342/1045
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/1045
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1138-4891(12)70040-7
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Agricultura--Comptabilitat
Cost--Control
Anàlisi del valor
Fair value
Historical cost
Biological assets valuation
Farm accounting
33
Descripción
Sumario:This paper presents empirical research comparing the accounting difficulties that arise from the use of two valuation methods for biological assets, fair value (FV) and historical cost (HC) accounting, in the agricultural sector. It also compares how reliable each valuation method is in the decision-making process of agents within the sector. By conducting an experiment with students, farmers, and accountants operating in the agricultural sector, we find that they have more difficulties, make larger miscalculations and make poorer judgements with HC accounting than with FV accounting. In-depth interviews uncover flawed accounting practices in the agricultural sector in Spain in order to meet HC accounting requirements. Given the complexities of cost calculation for biological assets and the predominance of small family business units in advanced Western countries, the study concludes that accounting can be more easily applied in the agricultural sector under FV than HC accounting, and that HC conveys a less accurate grasp of the real situation of a farm.