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Food exporters in global value chains: Evidence from Italy

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  • Giovannetti, Giorgia
  • Marvasi, Enrico

Abstract

This paper offers a firm level perspective of global value chain participation in the food industry. We single out some stylized facts on food global value chains and the Italian food industry. Exploiting a very rich and original dataset, based on a 2011 survey of 25,090 Italian firms operating in manufacturing and related services, we characterize the food industry, describing its main strengths and weaknesses, and analyze the links between the probability to export and the value chain participation. Our results show that participating in a value chain significantly increases the probability to export. This is particularly true for small firms in the industrial food value chain and for firms positioned downstream. Participating in distribution chains, for instance being able to sell products through large supermarkets, also significantly contributes to internationalization. These results can have important implications in terms of trade policy: tariffs and other protection measures are cumulative when intermediate inputs are traded across borders multiple times. Hence, protection can end up in a significantly higher cost of finished goods. When discussing trade policy therefore, it is crucial to “think value chain”.

Suggested Citation

  • Giovannetti, Giorgia & Marvasi, Enrico, 2016. "Food exporters in global value chains: Evidence from Italy," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 110-125.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:59:y:2016:i:c:p:110-125
    DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2015.10.001
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    2. Agbekponou, Kossi Messanh & Cheptea, Angela & Latouche, Karine, 2022. "Retailer-driven value chains in the agri-food sector: An analysis of French firms," Working Papers 329781, Institut National de la recherche Agronomique (INRA), Departement Sciences Sociales, Agriculture et Alimentation, Espace et Environnement (SAE2).
    3. Nenci, Silvia & Fusacchia, Ilaria & Giunta, Anna & Montalbano, Pierluigi & Pietrobelli, Carlo, 2022. "Mapping global value chain participation and positioning in agriculture and food: stylised facts, empirical evidence and critical issues," Bio-based and Applied Economics Journal, Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AIEAA), vol. 11(2), July.
    4. Marco Lerro & Riccardo Vecchio & Francesco Caracciolo & Stefano Pascucci & Luigi Cembalo, 2018. "Consumers' heterogeneous preferences for corporate social responsibility in the food industry," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(6), pages 1050-1061, November.
    5. Mili, Samir, 2016. "Value Chain Dynamics of Agri-Food Exports from Southern Mediterranean to the European Union: End-Market Perspective," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 7(4), pages 1-17, July.
    6. Giorgia Giovannetti & Enrico Marvasi & Giorgio Ricchiuti, 2019. "Does the Same FDI Fit All? How Competition and Affiliates Characteristics Affect Parents’ Productivity," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 5(3), pages 369-402, October.

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