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Denna studie utvärderar ekonomiska styrmedels effekt på konsumtionen av livsmedel samt ifall skatter och subventioner kan vara en metod som styr matkonsumtionen mot hälsosamma livsmedelsval. Sex livsmedelsgrupper analyseras i studien och dessa är sötsaker och glass, kött, grönsaker, mejerivaror, bröd och spannmålsprodukter samt frukt och bär. Fyra scenarier som representerar olika skatte- och/eller subventionsreformer simuleras för att analysera vilken effekt ekonomiska styrmedel kan ha på matkonsumtion och hälsa. Responsen som de ekonomiska styrmedlen har på matkonsumtionen beräknas med elasticiteter som tagits fram från parameterestimat i AIDS-modellen. Den data som ligger till grund för den ekonometriska modellen är aggregerad konsumtionsdata, konsumentprisindex och livsmedelsförsäljning. Resultatet från studien visar att det går att styra konsumtionen av livsmedel men att substitution mellan varor kan leda till att de hälsomål som reformen är menad att nå inte uppfylls.

This research develops a food demand system model based on the Linear Almost Ideal Demand System (LA/AIDS). The major contribution of this research is that the opportunity cost of time on food cooking/cleaning up is modeled in the demand system. Different from the traditional one constraint demand, this two constraints LA/AIDS model better captures consumer behavior and attitude toward food choice –food at home (FAH), sugar sweetened beverage (SSB), food away from home (FAFH). Using Statistics Canada Food Expenditure Survey (FES) and General Social Survey-time use, a two sample two stage least square (2S2SLS) is an applied in the data estimation. The empirical results show most coefficient estimates and own price elasticities are significant. FAH and FAFH are found to be more price elastic compared to a one constraint model, and SSB is found to be more price inelastic. This research provides a new perspective to estimate potential food policies, such as, a tax on SSB, or a food tax on "junk food".

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Agricultural Economics / Vincent R. Amanor-Boadu / This dissertation is composed of two essays in applied microeconomics. Using farm level data, the first essay applied nonparametric methods to test the adherence of individual farm’s production choices to profit maximization objective. Results indicate that none of the farms consistently satisfy the joint hypothesis of profit maximization. The study took into account the uncertainty prevalent in agricultural production by systematically modeling the optimization behavior of farms. Departures of observed data of individual farms from profit maximization objectives were attributed more due to stochastic influences caused by output production decisions than input use decisions. Results also support the existence of technological progress during the study period for Kansas farms. At an alpha level of 5%, assuming both input and output quantities as stochastic, only 5.3% of the farms violated the joint hypothesis of profit maximization with standard error exceeding 10%. Whereas when only input quantities are considered stochastic, a total of 71.73% and 2.09% of the farms had minimum standard errors of greater than 10% and 20% respectively required for the joint profit maximization hypothesis to hold. When only output quantity measurements were assumed as stochastic, a total of 80.10 % and 18.84 % of the farms had minimum standard errors of greater than 10% and 20% respectively required for the profit maximization hypothesis to hold. The second essay examines the demand for alcoholic beverages (beer, wine and distilled spirits) for the U.S. using time series data from 1979-2006. The estimation is done using an error correction form of the Almost Ideal Demand System . Results indicate that there is a significant difference between short run and long run elasticity estimates. The paper addresses the exogeneity of log of prices and log of real expenditures. For the beer and wine equations, the hypothesis of joint exogeneity of price index and real expenditure cannot be rejected at all the conventional levels of significance. For the spirits equation, the tests strongly reject the simultaneous exogeneity of price index and real expenditure. When independently tested, price index appears to be endogenous variable where as real expenditure seems exogenous variable. Based on these results, the real expenditure was considered as an exogenous variable, where as the price index for spirits as an endogenous variable.

O consumo per capita de pescados no Brasil é relativamente baixo quando comparado com as outras proteínas de origem animais. Do lado da oferta, este fenômeno está relacionado com diversos fatores como, por exemplo, a sobre pesca, a baixa produção nacional, a distância entre centros produtores e consumidores etc. Este trabalho aborda os fatores que estão ligados à sua demanda, tais como: a influência dos preços e da renda da população no seu consumo. Inicialmente, caracterizou-se o problema da oferta de pescados no Brasil. Em seguida, foi feita uma revisão sobre a teoria econômica e o método de cálculo da função e de suas elasticidades para a forma funcional conhecida por Almost Ideal Demand System - AIDS. A partir dos microdados da Pesquisa de Orçamento Familiar - POF 2002-2003, fez-se uma análise descritiva da demanda por pescados no Brasil. Finalmente, foram estimadas as funções demanda e calcularam-se as elasticidades para dois tipos de agrupamentos: um que considerou 5 grupos de proteínas animais e o outro com 7 grupos de alimentos. Estas funções foram estimadas para o Brasil e para duas macro-regiões: Norte-Nordeste e Centro-Sul. Os principais resultados são: o consumo per capita de pescados é baixo porque poucos domicílios consomem pescados. O consumo de pescado da Região Norte-Nordeste é significativamente diferente do padrão observado na Região Centro-Sul do país. Os principais produtos substitutos aos pescados no país são as proteínas mais elaboradas e não as carnes mais tradicionais como a de aves e as vermelhas. Os supermercados são os pontos de vendas mais utilizados pelos consumidores de pescados de renda mais elevada, principalmente na Região Centro-Sul, mas os pequenos estabelecimentos comerciais também possuem grande importância na comercialização de pescados para o consumidor final, principalmente, na Região Norte-Nordeste. / Per capita consumption of fish in Brazil is relatively small as compared to other animal proteins. On the supply side, this phenomenon can be explained by several factors such as: low national fish production, the distance between fish supply regions and the main consumptions centers etc. This study analyses the influence of prices and population income on the demand of fish in Brazil. First, the problem of fish supply in Brazil is characterized. It is followed by reviews of the relevant economic theory and the methods of the function and the elasticity calculations for a functional form known by Almost Ideal Demand System - AIDS. A descriptive analysis of fish demand in Brazil using the microdata called the Familiar Budget Research - POF 2002-2003 is presented. Finally, demand functions and their elasticities are calculated for two different cases: one considering 5 groups of animal proteins and other with 7 groups of food categories. These functions are estimated for Brazil as a whole and two macro-regions: Northnortheast and Center-South. The main results are: per capita consumption of fish is low in Brazil because few households consume fish. The pattern of fish consumption in the North-Northeast Region is different as compared to the Center-South. The main substitutes for fish are the processed proteins and not the traditional types of meat as chicken and red meat. For high income households located mainly in Center-South Region, fish are mainly purchased in supermarkets. However, small commercial establishments are still important in the fish retail market, especially in the North-Northeast.

O consumo per capita de pescados no Brasil é relativamente baixo quando comparado com as outras proteínas de origem animais. Do lado da oferta, este fenômeno está relacionado com diversos fatores como, por exemplo, a sobre pesca, a baixa produção nacional, a distância entre centros produtores e consumidores etc. Este trabalho aborda os fatores que estão ligados à sua demanda, tais como: a influência dos preços e da renda da população no seu consumo. Inicialmente, caracterizou-se o problema da oferta de pescados no Brasil. Em seguida, foi feita uma revisão sobre a teoria econômica e o método de cálculo da função e de suas elasticidades para a forma funcional conhecida por Almost Ideal Demand System - AIDS. A partir dos microdados da Pesquisa de Orçamento Familiar - POF 2002-2003, fez-se uma análise descritiva da demanda por pescados no Brasil. Finalmente, foram estimadas as funções demanda e calcularam-se as elasticidades para dois tipos de agrupamentos: um que considerou 5 grupos de proteínas animais e o outro com 7 grupos de alimentos. Estas funções foram estimadas para o Brasil e para duas macro-regiões: Norte-Nordeste e Centro-Sul. Os principais resultados são: o consumo per capita de pescados é baixo porque poucos domicílios consomem pescados. O consumo de pescado da Região Norte-Nordeste é significativamente diferente do padrão observado na Região Centro-Sul do país. Os principais produtos substitutos aos pescados no país são as proteínas mais elaboradas e não as carnes mais tradicionais como a de aves e as vermelhas. Os supermercados são os pontos de vendas mais utilizados pelos consumidores de pescados de renda mais elevada, principalmente na Região Centro-Sul, mas os pequenos estabelecimentos comerciais também possuem grande importância na comercialização de pescados para o consumidor final, principalmente, na Região Norte-Nordeste. / Per capita consumption of fish in Brazil is relatively small as compared to other animal proteins. On the supply side, this phenomenon can be explained by several factors such as: low national fish production, the distance between fish supply regions and the main consumptions centers etc. This study analyses the influence of prices and population income on the demand of fish in Brazil. First, the problem of fish supply in Brazil is characterized. It is followed by reviews of the relevant economic theory and the methods of the function and the elasticity calculations for a functional form known by Almost Ideal Demand System - AIDS. A descriptive analysis of fish demand in Brazil using the microdata called the Familiar Budget Research - POF 2002-2003 is presented. Finally, demand functions and their elasticities are calculated for two different cases: one considering 5 groups of animal proteins and other with 7 groups of food categories. These functions are estimated for Brazil as a whole and two macro-regions: Northnortheast and Center-South. The main results are: per capita consumption of fish is low in Brazil because few households consume fish. The pattern of fish consumption in the North-Northeast Region is different as compared to the Center-South. The main substitutes for fish are the processed proteins and not the traditional types of meat as chicken and red meat. For high income households located mainly in Center-South Region, fish are mainly purchased in supermarkets. However, small commercial establishments are still important in the fish retail market, especially in the North-Northeast.

This thesis contains three essays on topics in agricultural economics. Essays one and two share a focus on international trade and economic development, and essays two and three apply dynamic tools to agricultural economic policy issues.<p>Essay one analyses trade-related implications of a developing country's decision to adopt genetically-modified crop technology. A fixed-proportions model is constructed that evaluates the welfare implications of a range of adoption policies and export market responses. The model in this essay illustrates the importance of the prospective adopter formulating a projection of probable export market effects before making an adoption decision and of the role that high transaction costs may play in a developing country's adoption decision. The model also considers the effects of a new policy tool; a check-off style levy on genetically-modified technology in place of a technology-use agreement. A levy could be useful tool in developing countries, which are characterised by high transaction costs. <p>Essay two models the effects of emergency food aid on a recipient country's agricultural industry. This essay formulates a definition of needed aid in the context of a food emergency and constructs an optimal control model that solves a path of aid shipments that best meets that need. The effects of a range of food aid paths on recipient-country agricultural production are illustrated through numerical simulations. There are two key results. First, a non-optimal amount of aid can hinder a recipient-country's recovery from an exogenous food shock. Second, an exogenous shock can affect farmer revenue and therefore impact planting decisions. This effect must be considered in aid allocation policies. <p>Essay three uses time-series econometric techniques to develop a demand model that assesses the effectiveness of commodity advertising. This essay describes the importance of considering long-run and dynamic effects in demand systems, especially in the case of closely substitutable commodities. A demand system that tests for and accommodates dynamic and time-series properties is developed and applied to US meat data. The results of this model are compared to a traditional static demand system. The dynamic model produces econometrically and theoretically sound results and generates some more intuitively appealing estimates.

This thesis contains three essays on topics in agricultural economics. Essays one and two share a focus on international trade and economic development, and essays two and three apply dynamic tools to agricultural economic policy issues.<p>Essay one analyses trade-related implications of a developing country's decision to adopt genetically-modified crop technology. A fixed-proportions model is constructed that evaluates the welfare implications of a range of adoption policies and export market responses. The model in this essay illustrates the importance of the prospective adopter formulating a projection of probable export market effects before making an adoption decision and of the role that high transaction costs may play in a developing country's adoption decision. The model also considers the effects of a new policy tool; a check-off style levy on genetically-modified technology in place of a technology-use agreement. A levy could be useful tool in developing countries, which are characterised by high transaction costs. <p>Essay two models the effects of emergency food aid on a recipient country's agricultural industry. This essay formulates a definition of needed aid in the context of a food emergency and constructs an optimal control model that solves a path of aid shipments that best meets that need. The effects of a range of food aid paths on recipient-country agricultural production are illustrated through numerical simulations. There are two key results. First, a non-optimal amount of aid can hinder a recipient-country's recovery from an exogenous food shock. Second, an exogenous shock can affect farmer revenue and therefore impact planting decisions. This effect must be considered in aid allocation policies. <p>Essay three uses time-series econometric techniques to develop a demand model that assesses the effectiveness of commodity advertising. This essay describes the importance of considering long-run and dynamic effects in demand systems, especially in the case of closely substitutable commodities. A demand system that tests for and accommodates dynamic and time-series properties is developed and applied to US meat data. The results of this model are compared to a traditional static demand system. The dynamic model produces econometrically and theoretically sound results and generates some more intuitively appealing estimates.

The U.S. furniture industry has faced the challenge from increasing imports of furniture from foreign countries over the last decades. In the first part of this thesis, the import pattern of wooden bedroom furniture and the antidumping investigation against China were summarized, and furthermore, intervention analysis was employed to assess its impacts on the import value and unit price of China. The results revealed that the impact on import values was temporary but there was no significant impact on unit prices. The traditional suppliers have been substituted by the newly developing countries such as China and Vietnam. In the second part of this thesis, to explain the market structure change, a dynamic AIDS model was used to analyze the consumer behavior and evaluate the impacts of antidumping investigation on the major competitors in the second part. The results indicated that most imported wooden bedroom furniture can be substituted between suppliers and trade diversion occurred from China to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Brazil.

This dissertation aims to contribute to the field of economics of competition policy by analyzing the demand structure and the market power in the Turkish beverage industry and in the cola market in particular. First, a demand system for the beverage products has been estimated by using a multi-stage linearized Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS). Using the own-price elasticity of cola in a SSNIP test (Small but Significant Non-Transitory Increase in Price), it is shown that cola market consists of a distinct relevant product market. Then, the demand elasticities of cola products at brand and package level have been estimated by the simple and nested logit models. Finally, the estimated demand elasticities of cola products have been used in measuring the degree of market power and predicting the effects of a hypothetical merger between Pepsi and Cola Turca by using a merger simulation technique. The results show that all cola suppliers have large price-cost margins for most of their products. Prices of the merging parties increase in average by 15 - 21% after the merger. The merger also causes the market price to increase by 16- 22% and consumer surplus to decrease by nearly 5% in average. Finally, depending on these results, the thesis recommends a stricter merger control criterion than dominance criterion for competition policy in Turkey.