Abstract:
Promoting the realization of agricultural ecological product value constitutes an effective pathway for transforming “lucid waters and lush mountains” into “golden and silver mountains” in rural areas, serving as a crucial initiative to accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of agricultural development. The advancement of new quality productive forces provides robust momentum for this value realization process. Based on the theoretical analysis of the new quality productivity and the value realization of agricultural ecological products, and using the panel data of 30 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities, not including Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Xizang of China) in China from the year 2012 to 2022, this paper employs advanced econometric methods such as the bidirectional fixed effects model, the quantile regression model, and the spatial error model to systematically analyze the impact mechanism of the new quality productivity on the value realization efficiency of agricultural ecological products. The results show several findings: 1) The overall efficiency of the new quality productivity and the value realization efficiency of agricultural ecological products have been increasing year by year, reflecting a positive trend in sustainable agricultural development and the growing emphasis on ecological conservation. However, the development of the new quality productivity in most regions is still in the primary stage, indicating significant potential for further growth and the need for targeted policies. Meanwhile, the value realization efficiency of agricultural ecological products faces issues of uneven regional development, with agricultural ecological resources in some areas not being effectively utilized due to insufficient infrastructure, technological gaps, or policy constraints. This regional differences highlights the necessity for specific strategies to address specific challenges in underperforming regions. 2) The new quality productivity can provide new momentum for the industry of ecological agriculture, and significantly enhance the efficiency of the value realization of agricultural ecological products. The impact of the new quality productivity on the value realization efficiency of agricultural ecological products initially decreases and then increases as the value transformation efficiency of agricultural ecological products improves, suggesting a nonlinear relationship that evolves with the development. This relationship underlines the importance of reaching a certain threshold of efficiency to fully unlock the benefits of new quality productivity. 3) The competitiveness of the market of agricultural ecological assets and agricultural ecological products leads to a negative spatial spillover effect on their value transformation efficiency, as regions with higher efficiency may put political competitive pressure on neighboring areas, creating a competitive rather than collaborative relationship. Nevertheless, the influence of new quality productivity on the value transformation efficiency of agricultural ecological products can generate positive spatial spillovers through mechanisms such as agricultural division of labor and social services, fostering regional collaboration and resource sharing. These findings highlight the importance of promoting balanced regional development, enhancing interregional cooperation, and urging the new quality productivity to maximize the value of agricultural ecological products. Policymakers should focus on creating an enabling environment for technological innovation, improving infrastructure, and fostering market integration to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth in the agricultural sector.