Small-scale household agricultural production has been in conflict with China's agricultural modernization. In the context of vigorously promoting rural land circulation and moderate scale management nationwide, research on the relationship between farm size and scale efficiency has become increasingly important. In this paper, we use the "DEA-OLS" two stage method to analyze data from 368 surveys of rice farming households in the Jianghan Plain. The scale efficiency of rice farming was calculated, and the relationship between farm size and scale efficiency investigated. The results indicate that (1) the rice farm size is generally small in Jianghan Plain, with an average of 0.77 ha. The average scale efficiency is 0.88, and it is the main factor limiting an increase in comprehensive technical efficiency. Moreover, 88.32％ of households are in the stage of increasing returns to scale. (2) There is a stable inverted "U" type relationship between rice farm size and scale efficiency. Considering characteristics of the householder, the household and land quality, the maximum scale efficiency corresponds to a household with 5 ha of rice farm. (3) Among householder characteristics, age has a significant negative influence on scale efficiency, and scale efficiency is lower for a household whose householder is engaged in non-farm work than for one whose householder is devoted to farming. As for land quality, there was a significant positive effect of irrigation on scale efficiency. Among family characteristics, the application of a machine during the seeding process increased scale efficiency by 3.07％. Therefore, we suggest that local government should actively promote rural land circulation, implement a staged-scale management subsidy, and other forms of support for the purchase of agricultural machinery and technical popularization. Increased investment in irrigation improvements and mechanical facilities and encouragement of farmers to enlarge their farm size could improve scale efficiency and farming profit and lead to the development of moderate scale management.%农户小规模的农业生产方式已经与我国农业现代化的发展产生冲突,在全国大力推进土地流转和发展农业适度规模经营的背景下,对种植规模与规模效率之间关系的研究就成为了热点.本文利用368份江汉平原水稻种植农户的调查数据,应用"DEA-OLS"两阶段分析方法,对水稻种植的规模效率进行了测算,并考察了种植规模与规模效率之间的关系.结果表明:(1)江汉平原内农户水稻种植的规模普遍较小,平均为0.77公顷,规模效率平均为0.88,规模效率是限制水稻种植综合技术效率增加的主要因素,有88.32％的农户都处在规模报酬递增的阶段.(2)水稻种植规模与规模效率之间确实存在稳定的倒"U"型关系,在考虑户主特征、土地质量和家庭特征的情况下,农户水稻种植规模达到5公顷时,规模效率最大.(3)户主特征因素中,户主年龄对规模效率有显著的负向影响;户主从事非农工作的家庭比户主纯务农的家庭规模效率低.耕地质量因素中,地块的灌溉条件对规模效率有显著的正向影响.家庭特征因素中,使用机械播种的家庭比手工播种家庭的规模效率高3.07％.因此,我们建议当地政府积极推进土地流转,实行阶梯式的规模经营补贴,增加在灌溉条件改善和机械设施普及上的投入,以鼓励农户扩大种植规模,提高规模效率和种植收益,发展适度规模经营.
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