Missed opportunities and missing markets: Spatio-temporal arbitrage of rice in Madagascar

This paper uses an exceptionally rich data set to test the extent to which markets in Madagascar are integrated across space, time, and form (in converting from paddy to rice) and to explain some of the factors that limit arbitrage and price equalization within a single country. In particular, we use rice price data across four quarters of 2000-2001 along with data on transportation costs and infrastructure availability for nearly 1400 communes in Madagascar to examine the extent of market integration at three different spatial scales sub-regional, regional, and national and determine whether non-integration is due to high transfer costs or lack of competition. The results indicate that markets are fairly well integrated at the sub-regional level and that factors such as high crime, remoteness, and lack of information are among the factors limiting competition. A lack of competition persists at the regional level and high transfer costs impede spatial market integration at the national level. Only six percent of rural communes appear to be intertemporally integrated and there appear to be significant untapped opportunities for interseasonal arbitrage. Income is directly and strongly related to the probability of a commune being in interseasonal competitive equilibrium.Marketing,

ECONOMIC COSTS OF THE U.S. WHEAT EXPORT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM: MANNA FROM HEAVEN OR FROM TAXPAYERS?

Traditional models of export bonus programs focus only on the effects of disposing public stocks on the world market. We show that the economic effects of export bonus programs are significantly different when one includes the costs of acquiring these stocks. Including stock acquisition costs has the domestic price always rising, rather than an ambiguous effect of the traditional model of an export bonus program. We also show that including stock acquisition costs results in an export bonus scheme to be equivalent to cash export subsidies. When an export bonus program is combined with an existing target price scheme, government cost may either rise or fall in either model, but for different reasons. In an empirical simulation of the U.S. Export Enhancement Program for wheat, we show that the model that includes acquisition costs induces a lower level of tax cost than the traditional model even though taxpayers bear the additional burden of acquisition expenditures.agricultural trade, Export Enhancement Program, export subsidies, in-kind, International Relations/Trade, Q17,

Rice markets in Madagascar in disarray : Policy options for increased efficiency and price stabilization. Washington, World Bank.

Faced with a production shortfall in early 2004 and a sharp rise in the price of imported rice due to a depreciation of the Malagasy franc and a spike in international rice prices, Madagascar attempted to stabilize domestic rice prices through public tenders for rice imports and subsidized sales at official prices. This paper discusses the 2004 rice crisis, chronicling the events that triggered the crisis and the subsequent interventions by the government, and analyzes the impacts of the policies adopted and steps taken to spur development of the domestic rice market. Using a partial equilibrium model, the paper also quantifies the overall costs and benefits of a change in import duties for various household groups, and compares this intervention to a policy of targeted food transfers or security stocks. as well as other options for price stabilization, including a reduction in import duties and a security stock policy

Consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados e impacto na dieta de adultos jovens

OBJETIVO Avaliar o consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados, os fatores associados e a sua influência na ingestão de nutrientes em adultos jovens. MÉTODOS Em 2004-2005, os participantes da Coorte de Nascimentos de Pelotas de 1982 foram identificados para entrevista domiciliar. Foram entrevistados 4.297 indivíduos (taxa de acompanhamento de 77,4%) e incluídos no estudo 4.202. O consumo alimentar foi avaliado por meio de questionário de frequência alimentar e estimada a proporção da ingestão calórica diária atribuída aos alimentos ultraprocessados, bem como a ingestão de macro e micronutrientes. A associação entre características dos indivíduos e consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados foi avaliada utilizando-se regressão linear. A análise de variância e o teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson foram utilizados na associação entre quintis de consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados, ingestão e na adequação da ingestão de nutrientes, respectivamente. RESULTADOS O consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados contribuiu com 51,2% das calorias totais ingeridas. A ingestão de alimentos ultraprocessados foi maior entre indivíduos: do sexo feminino; de maior escolaridade; que nunca foram pobres e eutróficos. Maior consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados foi positivamente associado ao consumo de gorduras, colesterol, sódio, ferro, cálcio e calorias (p &lt; 0,001) e negativamente associado ao consumo de carboidratos, proteínas e fibras alimentares (p &lt; 0,001). CONCLUSÕES O elevado consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados e sua relação positiva com a ingestão de sódio, colesterol e gorduras chama a atenção para a realização de intervenções visando a redução da ingestão desse grupo de alimentos.OBJECTIVE To evaluate the consumption of ultra-processed foods, its associated factors, and its influence on nutrient intake in young adults. METHODS In 2004-2005, the individuals belonging to the Pelotas birth cohort of 1982 were identified for a home interview. A total of 4,297 individuals were interviewed and 4,202 individuals were included in the study (follow-up rate of 77.4%). Diet was assessed using a questionnaire on dietary intake and the percentage of daily caloric intake attributed to ultra-processed foods as well as the intake of macro- and micronutrients were estimated. The association between cohort characteristics and the consumption of ultra-processed foods was assessed using linear regression. Analysis of variance and Pearson’s Chi-square test were used to evaluate the association between the quintiles of the consumption of ultra-processed food, nutrient intake and adequacy of nutrient intake, respectively. RESULTS The consumption of ultra-processed foods corresponded to 51.2% of the total caloric intake. The consumption of ultra-processed foods was higher among women, individuals with higher education, and individuals who were never poor and eutrophic. The increased consumption of ultra-processed foods was positively correlated with the consumption of fat, cholesterol, sodium, iron, calcium, and calories (p < 0.001) and was negatively correlated with the consumption of carbohydrates, protein, and dietary fiber (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The high consumption of ultra-processed foods and its positive correlation with the intake of sodium, cholesterol, and fats underscores the need to perform interventions aimed at decreasing the intake of this food group

The rapid rise in domestic value chains of nutrient-dense foods (fruits, vegetables, and animal products) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Policy implications

Despite African consumers under-consuming nutrient dense fruits and vegetables (FV) and animal products (AP), and the farm production and supply chains of these products are fraught with constraints that keep them from operating optimally, we find abundant recent evidence of dynamism in these sectors. To wit: (1) consumption of these products in levels and shares is already substantial and growing rapidly; (2) supply of these products is growing rapidly, just not yet much faster than population growth; (3) supply growth is manifested in a number of countries by dynamic “meso booms” with diffusion of farming and growth in midstream ("Hidden Middle") value chain segments; these booms are “grass roots” driven, without subsidy or management by government or NGOs or large companies. We reviewed recent survey-based evidence of these booms and discussed the drivers. The policy implications are the need for governments to invest in the conditions we found to be enabling these booms, that is, roads and wholesale markets and electrification and other infrastructure hard and soft