Trade Policy Options for a Food-Security Commodity in Southern Africa: A Case Study of Maize in Zambia

We examine the performance of maize import policy options in one of the poorest countries in Southern Africa. The results are shaped by unique features of Zambia’s maize market: production that is limited by risk and highly variable returns, and local marketing margins that increase with imports and limit consumer trade gains. Results suggest that the market-stabilizing protection with the variable import levy (VL) may improve welfare, compared free trade or the current tariff regime. The VL also redistributes benefits to farmers and rural residents and away from urban consumers. Tax revenues could be used to fund transportation improvements or an urban consumer subsidy. Also, we estimate that market-led improvements in transport infrastructure, which would be conducive to more open trade policies, may be 25 years away.Maize Policy; Zambia; Food Security; Variable Levy

INTERNATIONAL PRICE TRANSMISSION IN THE U.S.-JAPAN SOFTWOOD TRADE

This article explores the supposition that international price margins in the U.S. Pacific Northwest-Japan softwood trade are influenced by nontariff trade barriers and inelastic supplies of international transportation services. Furthermore, it pursues the hypothesis that a regime separation occurs in the log trade with the existence and extent of rent creation related to conditions in the export market. Estimated price spreads which depend on trade volume serve as evidence. These factors magnify elasticities that measure the response of Japan's prices to changes in U.S. prices. Moreover, U.S. supplies on this market are more price-inelastic than its sheer size would suggest.International Relations/Trade,

MEMORANDUM: Calibration of Great Bay Estuary Hydrodynamic Model and Incremental Nitrogen Estimation

This technical memorandum summarizes the completion of the calibration of a hydrodynamic model of the Great Bay Estuary System (GBES) originally started as part of the Squamscott River modeling study. The Squamscott River modeling study was discontinued when it was realized that excessive levels of algae in the Exeter wastewater lagoons discharge had a significant effect on Squamscott River water quality. Because Exeter plans to upgrade its wastewater treatment system and eliminate excessive algal levels in its effluent discharge, it was decided not to develop a hydrodynamic water quality model with Squamscott River water quality data that is so atypical and different than expected future river water quality after the Exeter wastewater treatment system upgrade. However, it was recognized that the completion of the hydrodynamic model of the GBES would provide a useful tool for the cities of Dover, Rochester, and Portsmouth to relate present and future wastewater effluent nitrogen discharges to increases in GBES nitrogen levels. The following is a brief description of the hydrodynamic model framework and calibration analysis against salinity, temperature, and tidal elevation measurements at various locations throughout the GBES. Later sections in this document summarize the application of the GBES calibrated hydrodynamic model in computing incremental nitrogen levels in the Estuary as a result of multiple effluent nitrogen scenarios

Low work function cathode development Summary report

Low work function cathode configurations and nickel encapsulated powder for withstanding intensive ion bombardmen

QUALITY DIFFERENCES AND PRICE RESPONSIVENESS OF WHEAT CLASS DEMANDS

Price responsiveness and preferences for wheat classes are measured using a Case function specification. Results indicate there have been numerous changes in market shares of wheat classes from different exporters in specific markets. In general, quality differentials are important in some international markets; in others, relative prices are more important in determining market shares.Crop Production/Industries,

Technique for producing bipolar and MOS field effect transistors on a single chip

Several cycles of photoetching, dopant deposition, and drive-in produce selectively-doped regions and semiconductor junctions within a single chip

Automatic data processing for photographic photometry in spectrographic analysis

Automatic data processing for photographic photometry in spectrographic analysi