Trade Creation, Trade Diversion effects of NAFTA on vegetable and fruit trade flows

Abstract

The present study empirically estimates and evaluates the impact of NAFTA in the vegetable and fruit trade between the USA and Mexico. The import price elasticities suggest that imports are not sensitive to price changes. However, the income elasticities of import demand vary by commodities. As expected, the vegetables and fruits exhibit strong seasonality while the import dynamics are commodity-specific. The amount of trade expansion is estimated using import price elasticities from a dynamic import demand model for the commodities. This study demonstrates that there is trade expansion attributable to NAFA in the vegetable and fruit trade. The amount of Trade Creation (TC) is greater than the amount of Trade Diversion (TD) in most commodities examined.vegetable trade; fruit trade; import model; NAFTA; trade creation; trade diversion; USA; United States; Mexico.