Abstract Since 2005, Norwegian salmon farmers have experienced increasing unit costs, contrasting pre-2005 trends characterized by innovations, rapid productivity growth, and diminishing unit costs. This article investigates these cost changes using a panel of salmon producers. The drivers behind cost changes in the industry are identified for the period of 2001–2014 using a flexible cost function. In particular, it is explored how cost changes can be attributable to scale economies, negative productivity shocks, production expansion, and input prices. The results indicate that cost increases in the sector are affected by external factors out of the control of individual firms such as input prices and environmental conditions like sea lice.

中文翻译：

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关于挪威鲑鱼养殖部门成本变化的驱动因素：2001 年至 2014 年灵活成本函数的分解

摘要 自 2005 年以来，挪威鲑鱼养殖者的单位成本不断增加，这与 2005 年之前以创新、生产力快速增长和单位成本下降为特征的趋势形成鲜明对比。本文使用三文鱼生产者小组调查这些成本变化。使用灵活的成本函数确定了 2001-2014 年期间行业成本变化背后的驱动因素。特别探讨了成本变化如何归因于规模经济、负面生产力冲击、生产扩张和投入价格。结果表明，该部门的成本增加受到个别企业无法控制的外部因素的影响，例如投入价格和海虱等环境条件。