Impact of Inflation, Dollar Exchange Rate and Interest Rate on Red Meat Production in Turkey: Vector Autoregressive (VAR) Analysis

Abstract

In this study, impact of inflation (WPI-Wholesale Price Index), exchange rate, and interest rate on the production of red meat in Turkey was examined using the vector autoregressive (VAR) model. The model consisting of variables of dollar exchange rate, inflation rate, interest rate, beef, buffalo meat, mutton, and goat meat production amounts has been estimated for the period from 1981 to 2014. It has been detected that there is a tie among the dollar exchange rate, inflation rate, interest rate, and the amount of red meat production in Turkey. In order to determine the direction of this relation, Granger causality test was conducted. A one-way causal relation has been observed between: the goat meat production and dollar exchange rate; the buffalo meat production and the mutton production; and the beef production and the mutton production. To interpret VAR model, the impulse response function and variance decomposition analysis was used. As a result of variance decomposition, it has been detected that explanatory power of changes in the variance of dollar exchange rate, inflation rate, and interest rate in goat meat production amount is more than explanatory power of changes in the variances of mutton, beef, and buffalo meat variables.