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Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reforms, Spatial Market Integration, and Welfare: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Ethiopia

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  • Habtamu Fuje

Abstract

In light of climate change and tight fiscal conditions after the 2008 crises, fuel subsidy reform has become a popular policy. The G20 leaders, in their Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania meeting in 2009, committed to phase out inefficient fuel subsidies. However, little is known about the implications of removing subsidies on food prices and welfare. I study the welfare effects of such reforms through their impacts on the spatial dispersion of food prices using a “natural experiment” from Ethiopia. I employ time-regression discontinuity design using a highly disaggregated monthly grain price data (1996–2013) from 300 locations. I find the following: (a) the reform substantially increased grain price dispersion; (b) there are notable spatial heterogeneities in the treatment effect; (c) even if the reform has had no impact on overall price levels, it increased cross-sectional spatial price differences; and (d) net-sellers of grain in remote districts and some urban households experienced welfare losses.

Suggested Citation

  • Habtamu Fuje, 2019. "Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reforms, Spatial Market Integration, and Welfare: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Ethiopia," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 101(1), pages 270-290.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ajagec:v:101:y:2019:i:1:p:270-290.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ajae/aay026
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    Cited by:

    1. Jianqing Ruan & Qingwen Cai & Songqing Jin, 2021. "Impact of COVID‐19 and Nationwide Lockdowns on Vegetable Prices: Evidence from Wholesale Markets in China," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(5), pages 1574-1594, October.
    2. Eugenia Go, 2022. "Overland and Oversea: Domestic Trade Frictions in the Philippines," Asian Development Review (ADR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 39(02), pages 75-118, September.
    3. Eugenia Go, 2020. "Trade implications of transport cost in the Philippines," Economics PhD Theses 0320, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    4. Kelsey L. Schreiber & Christopher B. Barrett & Elizabeth R. Bageant & Abebe Shimeles & Joanna B. Upton & Maria DiGiovanni, 2022. "Building research capacity in an under‐represented group: The STAARS program experience," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(4), pages 1925-1941, December.

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