This paper evaluates the impact of coffee sector reforms during late 1980s and early 1990s on coffee growers in the main coffee producing countries. Earlier evidence suggests that the reforms increased the share of producer prices in the world price of coffee. This hypothesis is tested in the paper with the help of cointegration analysis, and the results show that in most countries the long-term producer price share has indeed increased substantially after the liberalization. Moreover, the results suggest that the reforms induced a closer cointegrating relationship between grower prices and world market prices. Finally, estimation of an error-correction model reveals that short-run transmission of price signals from the world market to domestic producers has improved, such that domestic prices adjust faster today to world price fluctuations than they did prior to the reforms. However, there is some evidence of asymmetries in the way positive and negative world price changes are transmitted to domestic markets.
Discussion Papers are interim reports on work of the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies and have received only limited reviews. Views or opinions expressed in them do not necessarily represent those of IAMO. Comments are welcome and should be addressed directly to the author(s).
This paper explores the extent to which discrimination against foreign applicants in the trademark registration process can be used as a "behind-the-border" barrier to imports. Prima-facie evidence shows that in some developing countries the ratio of trademark registrations to applications is much higher for national than for foreign applicants, which is consistent with the notion of discrimination against foreign firms. A simple model is developed that suggests that incentives to discriminate are stronger when foreign firms manufacture products that are close in quality to the goods produced by domestic firms. This hypothesis is then tested and empirically confirmed in three of the four countries in our sample, suggesting that discretion and discrimination in the trademark registration process can sometimes be used as a protectionist tool. Copyright � 2006 The Authors; Journal compilation � 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
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