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Inflation has increasingly become a strong factor of degradation and progressive dysfunctionality of the national economy in many countries of the world, including Romania. As it is a final indicator, inflation reflects at the end of the fiscal year whether the government's monetary, fiscal, legislative policies are coordinated effectively and have led or not to a stability of consumer prices. The purpose of this article is to identify the causes of inflation and its effects, the possible ways to combat it and the dynamic analysis of inflation in Romania between 2015 and 2021.

The pig industry and the pork market occupy an important place in providing the population of both the world and Ukraine with basic food products. The economic development of individual countries of the world and population growth increase the demand for pork, which leads to an increase in its production. Pig breeding in Ukraine is a historically established, traditional industry. However, its current state does not ensure sustainable and efficient pork production in Ukraine and requires significant improvement. The purpose of the study was to investigate the price situation in the pork market and describe the factors that caused it. In the course of the research, a set of methods was used: monographic, retrospective, comparative analysis, abstract and logical, induction and deduction, graphic, which allowed identifying and substantiating the existing price trends of the pork market. The analysis of the volume of production and sale of pig meat by the main producers in live weight and the price situation on the pork market in 2017-2021 was carried out. Special emphasis was placed on detailing purchase, wholesale, and consumer prices in different regions of the country. A steady trend of rising prices in the pork market is substantiated. It is established that in Ukraine during 2017-2021 there was an increase of 1.6-2.3 times in all types of prices for pork. The study results contain analytical materials and theoretical justifications that expand knowledge about the price situation on the pork market. The obtained materials can be used by all interested parties and specialists for consideration in production activities and for further scientific study of the problems of the establishment and functioning of the pork market

Competitiveness generally characterises the relative advantages in the market according to various quantitative and qualitative criteria and ultimately affects the development of its market conditions and the overall food supply of the population. Therefore, the study of competitiveness in the horticultural market in terms of production and sales volumes, prices, quality, and pomological varieties is quite important. The establishment of relative indicators of competitive advantages in the fruit and berry market determines favourable positions by various operators of economic relations. The purpose of the study consists in determining competitiveness in the fruit and berry market using relative indicators for comparing preferences in terms of the volume of the supply of fruits and berries by different categories of farms, prices, and pomological varieties. The research was guided by methodological approaches to determining the competitiveness of agricultural products in the Ukrainian agricultural market. At the same time, the following methods were used: dialectical method of cognition of market processes and a systematic approach, analytical generalisations, statistical comparison, constructive and computational, abstract and logical method. Based on comparative indicators of competitiveness of horticultural products in the Ukrainian market, the level of market competition of agricultural enterprises and households is estimated: the coefficient of market competition and the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index of market concentration. It is established that according to the first level of concentration of the industrial sector, the Ukrainian fruit market is in the low concentration group. Another indicator defined for households indicates a low concentration, high competition, a sufficient number of operators, and a weak position of each of them. In terms of fruit and berry production, Ukrainian producers are more competitive than importers. In terms of prices, agricultural producers and importers had competitive advantages. Competitive pomological varieties of fruits and berries for producers, traders, and consumers are determined based on calculations of competitive advantages and author’s study of the trade and consumer sectors. The competitiveness of various categories of farms in the horticultural market, competitive advantages in terms of production volumes, prices, and pomological varieties of fruits and berries are determined from the standpoint of the need to rationally provide the needs of the population with high-quality food products and further market development. The findings should be used in the creation of a target programme for the development of the food market for a long-term period aimed primarily at the rational provision of food products competitive in price and quality to the population of Ukraine

COVID-19's negative externalities disrupted the supply of several commodities. Meanwhile, to combat the spread of COVID-19, various countries have implemented a lockdown policy, which impacts the economy's balance. Consumers' risks are increasing due to economic changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affects the higher level of volatility of various agricultural commodities in Indonesia, particularly strategic commodities. Thus, this research was designed to examine the experience shock of strategic food consumers during Covid-19 pandemic. The ARCH/GARCH model was used to describe the strategic food price movement pattern using a set of weekly consumer price data from March 2020 until August 2021. This study found price volatility of strategic food commodities is classified into three categories. For starters, the extreme volatility of commodities such as garlic and cayenne pepper indicates that future buyers will face more significant uncertainty and risk. Furthermore, these commodities will generate fluctuating price swings in the future, resulting in greater experience shock for consumers. Second, commodities with high price volatility, such as rice, chicken meat, eggs, shallots, and sugar, signal that these commodities will subject consumers to a huge shock due to their high price volatility. Third, minimal volatility, such as that found in meat, red chilli, and cooking oil, indicates that customers will face less uncertainty in the future.

Demand side management (DSM) strategy implementation plays a vital role in energy management of smart grid (SG) by involving distributed energy resources (DERs) to reduce operational cost, pollution emission and provide end users satisfaction. In this study, day ahead scheduling problem in SG is adopted by using DSM strategy in SG considering different types of consumers to reduce operational cost and pollution emission, load curtailment cost by considering curtailable loads (CLs), and coordination between shiftable loads (SLs) and wind turbines (WTs) output power. The consumers participating in the DSM strategy are responsive consumers, which can shift and curtail loads, and non-responsive consumers who cannot shift or curtail loads. The DERs used in the proposed day-ahead scheduling problem consists of wind energy source (WES), energy storage systems (ESSs), and diesel generators (DGs). Before integrating wind energy sources with SG, its forecasting is necessary; thus, the probability distribution function (PDF) is used to forecast wind speed. The day-ahead scheduling problem with tri objective function is solved using the multi-objective wind driven optimization (MOWDO) technique using the decision-making mechanism (DMM) to obtain the best solution in search space. Simulation results show that the day ahead scheduling multi-objective problem is solved using MOWDO algorithm. To check the effectiveness of the proposed model, it is applied to SG considering different constraints to receive balance power at the user end.

Inflation has increasingly become a strong factor of degradation and progressive dysfunctionality of the national economy in many countries of the world, including Romania. As it is a final indicator, inflation reflects at the end of the fiscal year whether the government's monetary, fiscal, legislative policies are coordinated effectively and have led or not to a stability of consumer prices. The purpose of this article is to identify the causes of inflation and its effects, the possible ways to combat it and the dynamic analysis of inflation in Romania between 2015 and 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining the factors impacting egg consumer prices in Turkiye holds significant importance. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how specific variables influence market prices and illuminates cause-and-effect relationships in price fluctuations. The study analyzed 131 datasets from Turkiye, covering the period from January 2010 to November 2020, including various factors. The primary aim was to predict the relationships and impacts on egg consumer prices by considering variables such as laying hens feed price, the exchange rate of the US dollar, producer price indices, agricultural producer price indices, feed prices for broilers, corn, barley, and soybeans, utilizing K-nearest neighbors (KNN) regression analysis. Within the model, the consumer price of eggs showed the weakest correlation with the corn variable (r = 0.832). In contrast, the consumer price of eggs displayed the highest correlation with the US dollar exchange rate and soybean variables (r = 0.892). Therefore, it is evident that egg consumer prices are significantly influenced by the costs of raw materials for feed and currency exchange rates. Unlike other studies, this study found that the price of broiler feed also affects consumer egg prices. Thus, it is imperative for Turkiye to implement policies promoting the local supply of imported inputs essential for egg production and adopt measures to manage and mitigate exchange rate fluctuations and production expenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Menoufia Journal of Agricultural Economic & Social Science is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Unforeseen important changes in price can present a significant risk in the market. The price fluctuation of agricultural commodities has raised concern for studying the volatility of different agricultural products. A persistent volatility in prices causes continued uncertainty in the market. Higher price volatility is to be mitigated by higher management costs and the higher cost of risk mitigation is often converted into higher producer prices. The aim of this paper is to investigate the price volatility of producer and consumer meat prices and to capture the volatility spillover along the Finnish meat supply chain. The Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity - Baba, Engle, Kraft and Kroner (GARCH-BEKK) model is applied to analyse shocks and volatilities of the prices and to estimate whether the price volatility is flowing from the first price level (producer) to the second price level (consumer), using monthly price indices. An asymmetric volatility spillover effect was detected in the poultry meat and a unidirectional, volatility spillover effect, from consumer to producer, is observed for pork prices. The findings of this study could serve as a tool for forecasting meat producer and consumer prices, which could assist the Finnish government with endorsing policy options to alleviate the price volatility impact, to protect both consumers and producers from its negative effects.

The contribution of agriculture to Indonesian gross domestic product in the second quarter of 2020 has increased compared with same period last year. However, in certain occasions, this condition is not in line with the micro situation in the agricultural sector. This topic is important to study because agriculture, especially horticulture, has considerable effects on the Indonesian economy. This study aimed to ascertain the effects of Covid-19 on consumer and producer prices, import, and farmer welfare in the horticultural subsector in Indonesia. The research used Indonesian horticultural data in March-October 2019 and 2020. Trend and descriptive analyses were used to analyze the data. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Indonesia attempted to stabilize the price of horticultural commodities by increasing imports. The import policy and social restriction caused the decline in farmers' welfare because the prices of garlic and chili at the farm level declined. Meanwhile, social restriction policy caused difficulties in the distribution, and the shallot price increased at the consumer level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the problems of improving the quality of products. Focused on integrated management of product quality and production efficiency. Studied foreign experience in Standardization(England, Germany, the United States, France, Japan), quality requirements and address issues of national significance related to energy-saving, environmental protection, ensuring safety of life, the safety conditions inthe workplace. Given the characteristics of public and private functions in the system of quality management and recommendations for evaluation of the quality, based on quantifying the defining properties of indicators of thequality of the goods. Highlighted the basic principle of achieving dynamic stability of business-oriented, active response and measurement of internal and external risk factors. Concluded that there was a need to identify and use of reserves to ensure the competitiveness of manufactured products, the opportunity to improve the quality at the expense of breakthrough innovations at intellectualization that provides the creation of new products that affect the survival of producers and business development.

The rapid increase of the red meat price in Turkey in the recent years negatively affects its consumption. Consumers are seeking to compensate for the need for animal protein with cheaper substitution products. In this study, the effects of consumer attitudes, product prices and some other variables on the factors affecting consumption of fresh red meat are examined. A 58‑item questionnaire measuring Behavior and Behavioral Intention was applied to 455 consumers in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. In the study, participants’ consumption of fresh red meat and white meat was examined together. In the analysis of the data, correlation, independent samples’ t‑test and One Way Anova was used together with Path Analysis which is a Structural Equation Model technique. Price increases have a negative impact on fresh meat consumption and the effect on consumption of red meat is much higher. The Structural Model explains 80 % of the Behavioral Intention variance and 87 % of the Behavioral variance. In consumers’ Behavior and Behavioral Intention in meat consumption Attitude, Perceived Behavioral Control and Price variable have a significant influence, while the effect of Subjective Norms on a lower level. Socioeconomic and demographic variables cause significant differences in fresh meat consumption. Reducing the increases in input prices, which is the most important source of the increase in red meat prices in Turkey, in the short and medium terms, and supporting the supply increases by sustaining its implementation in the medium and long terms should be adopted as basic policies.

Purpose: Human beings need shelter as the beginning of their existence. Same holds true for people who live in Turkey as it is a cultural and traditional reason to be the host and endeavor to buy a home even if one has to pay the debt for years. Another factor that is important for individuals and even for countries is the inflation rate. In this context, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether the 26 regions of Turkey are affected by the inflationary pressure, specifically in the housing price index (HPI). Design/methodology/approach: For this purpose, data from 2010:01 to 2019:01 and the consumer price index (CPI), as well as HPI have been used. The causal relationship between the variables is analyzed by Konya Causality (2006) test. Findings: The key results suggest that HPI causes inflationary pressures in some regions. Research limitations/implications: The study has some limitations in terms of data set and scope. These are as follows: although there are many variables affecting housing prices, this study aims to investigate the causal link between inflation and housing prices. In addition, only the CPI and HPI variables were provided on a monthly basis in the 2010-2019 period for 26 regions due to the aim of making regional propositions in the investigation of this relationship. For these reasons, different macroeconomic variables could not be studied. Originality/value: This study makes the following contribution to the literature. While the majority of existing literature investigates the relationship between housing prices and inflation from an empirical perspective for country, very few studies have been for the sub-regions and also these studies have focused on only some sub-regions. In other words, in the literature review, a study has observed that Turkey has to examine the relationship between the housing price and inflation variables for all sub-regions in particular. To overcome this deficiency in the literature, this study aims to investigate the relationship between housing price and inflation for 26 regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unforeseen important changes in price can present a significant risk in the market. The price fluctuation of agricultural commodities has raised concern for studying the volatility of different agricultural products. A persistent volatility in prices causes continued uncertainty in the market. Higher price volatility is to be mitigated by higher management costs and the higher cost of risk mitigation is often converted into higher producer prices. The aim of this paper is to investigate the price volatility of producer and consumer meat prices and to capture the volatility spillover along the Finnish meat supply chain. The Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity - Baba, Engle, Kraft and Kroner (GARCH-BEKK) model is applied to analyse shocks and volatilities of the prices and to estimate whether the price volatility is flowing from the first price level (producer) to the second price level (consumer), using monthly price indices. An asymmetric volatility spillover effect was detected in the poultry meat and a unidirectional, volatility spillover effect, from consumer to producer, is observed for pork prices. The findings of this study could serve as a tool for forecasting meat producer and consumer prices, which could assist the Finnish government with endorsing policy options to alleviate the price volatility impact, to protect both consumers and producers from its negative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Price stability is one of the main policy objectives that is targeted by policymakers in many countries. Price uncertainty occurs due to the changes in market structure and consumer preference and expectation, which may affect price stability. In this study, the researchers aimed to examine the effects of price uncertainty of consumer price disaggregation in Malaysian sectors. To be specific, the researchers were seeking to discover on how domestic and global commodity prices can affect sectoral Consumer Price Index (CPI) on price inflation in Malaysia and most importantly, whether the effect is different for economic sectors in Malaysia. In addition, the effects of other factors (i.e., internal and external factors) on Malaysian sectoral CPI inflation were also studied. The threshold generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (TGARCH) model was used to generate the price uncertainties. For the purpose of analysis, the threshold regression approach was applied based on time series of each single sector, followed by a combination of panel data of all sectors. The results differed across sectors, revealing that the impact of price uncertainties was determined by the sensitivity of each sector towards the price uncertainties. The effect of price increase is larger than the effect of price decrease. Price fluctuations were obvious in sectors that were dependent on consumer price or commodity price. Exchange rate and oil price inflation had also greatly influenced the CPI inflation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents long-term analyzed rainfall and temperature data obtained from the National Metrological Agency (NMA) of Ethiopia. Using tables and graphic trends of analysis, the article shows the low and declining level of average annual rainfall as well as the high inter-annual fluctuations for 18 weather stations located in different agro-climatic zones of the country. The high variation of annual maximum and minimum temperature has been similarly observed for decades in the stations. Ethiopia's average annual temperature has risen between 1955 and 2015 by 1.65 °C. The country's agricultural production depends heavily on local temperature and rainfall. The evidence is clear that a slight change in such climatic elements negatively affects the food security condition of both producers and consumers. Although data from the Central Statistical Agency (CSA) show that major cereal crop production has increased at the national level, partly due to the increasing application of fertilizers and modern seeds, Ethiopia's food security condition is deteriorating due to global climatic events caused droughts and rain failure. The rate of food price inflation is thus often higher than the general consumer price inflation rate.

This paper examines and compares the determinants of producer and consumer price inflation in ten Asian countries during 2000–2015. In this connection, we also investigate the pass-through of global oil prices, global food prices and exchange rates to domestic producer and consumer prices. The model applied here is based on the dynamic interrelationship between the price variables in the distribution chain. Our results show that external cost-push factors such as oil and food prices are more important in explaining producer price inflation than consumer one. For consumer prices, demand-pull factors still explain much of the variation in inflation. The pass-through of oil (food) prices tends to be higher in oil (food) exporting countries than in oil (food) importing countries. Government policy measures played a role in reducing or delaying the pass-through of oil and food prices to domestic prices. Lastly, exchange rate pass-through tends to be higher in countries with more flexible exchange rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the innovative changes in the methodology of statistical surveys of consumer prices. These changes are reflected in the “Official statistical methodology for the organization of statistical observation of consumer prices for goods and services and the calculation of the consumer price index”, approved by order of the Federal State Statistics Service of December 30, 2014 no. 734. The essence of innovation is the use of mathematical methods in determining the range of studies objects of trade and services, in calculating the sufficient observable price quotes based on price dispersion, the proportion of the observed product (service), a representative of consumer spending, as well as the indicator of the complexity of price registration. The authors analyzed the mathematical calculations of the required number of quotations for observation in the Volgograd region in 2016, the results of calculations are compared with the number of quotes included in the monitoring. The authors believe that the implementation of these mathematical models allowed to substantially reduce the influence of the subjective factor in the organization of monitoring of consumer prices, and therefore to increase the objectivity of the resulting statistics on consumer prices and inflation. At the same time, the proposed methodology needs further improvement in terms of payment for goods, products (services) by representatives having a minor share in consumer expenditure.

The rapid increase of the red meat price in Turkey in the recent years negatively affects its consumption. Consumers are seeking to compensate for the need for animal protein with cheaper substitution products. In this study, the effects of consumer attitudes, product prices and some other variables on the factors affecting consumption of fresh red meat are examined. A 58-item questionnaire measuring Behavior and Behavioral Intention was applied to 455 consumers in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. In the study, participants' consumption of fresh red meat and white meat was examined together. In the analysis of the data, correlation, independent samples' t-test and One Way Anova was used together with Path Analysis which is a Structural Equation Model technique. Price increases have a negative impact on fresh meat consumption and the effect on consumption of red meat is much higher. The Structural Model explains 80 % of the Behavioral Intention variance and 87 % of the Behavioral variance. In consumers' Behavior and Behavioral Intention in meat consumption Attitude, Perceived Behavioral Control and Price variable have a significant influence, while the effect of Subjective Norms on a lower level. Socioeconomic and demographic variables cause significant differences in fresh meat consumption. Reducing the increases in input prices, which is the most important source of the increase in red meat prices in Turkey, in the short and medium terms, and supporting the supply increases by sustaining its implementation in the medium and long terms should be adopted as basic policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the assessment of price transmission in partial chains of soft milling wheat on example of the Czech Republic. The price transmission examination is accompanied by an international comparison of analyzed topic. The analysis is carried out for the chain of smooth flour, white baked goods and consumer bread. In all cases, the relation of the farm-gate price - wholesale price - consumer price is examined. The aim of the article is to address the question of whether all of the partial product chains of soft milling wheat can be considered identical in terms of the formation of the price and its transmission to other levels. The analysis itself is based upon variables in the form of time series containing monthly data for the period of January 1999 - October 2011, the time series contain 154 observations. Subsequently, the possibility of the results generalization was verified based on the results of the price transmission in period of January 2012 - December 2015. Price transmission is modeled with the utilization of the Vector Error Correction Model and co-integration analysis. The research showed certain congruent features of the analyzed chains, which can be further generalized. However, significant differences were also established, which constitute the uniqueness of each chain. One-way relations were established on some market levels, while mutual relations were established on others. Overall, the relations in the analyzed agri-food chains can be considered long-term, inelastic and demand-driven. Price transmissions in the chains do occur, individual changes in partial prices are followed by the relevant reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the development of consumer prices in the Czech Republic within the context of food prices in the European Union and the global market. The article is identifying the development of the foodstuff consumer prices in the market in the Czech Republic in relation to World and European consumer prices. Subsequently, the development of food consumer prices in the Czech market is analyzed in relation to selected commodities and products marketed in the Czech retail chains. Lastly, the status of individual retail chains in the Czech market is defined and the consumer prices and price differences existing amongst the selected major chains operating on the Czech market are analyzed. In relation to the objectives of this article it is then possible to state the following: prices on the Czech market correlate very strongly, especially in relation to the EU countries markets, but are very weak in relation to the world market. The sensitivity of the Czech consumer prices is very high – it is very flexible towards changes within the framework of the prices levels on the market of the EU but, by contrast, it is completely inflexible in respect to the changes in the prices levels on the world market. The Czech Republic follows the general development price trends existing in the EU countries markets.The growth in food prices on the Czech market is very close to the average growth rate of the food prices index in the EU market. Regarding the prices development on the Czech Republic market, it can be noted that, in relation to particular segments of the commodity food prices, the most dynamic growth was recorded in the case of fruit and vegetables, oils and fats, dairy products, fish and seafood, poultry, beef and cereals and bakery products.It is also important to mention that in the Czech Republic there are no uniform price levels between individual regions. In respect to the nature of the Czech retail market, a comment should be made that on the one hand it is very concentrated – a relatively small number of players control the character of the market – nevertheless, but in comparison with the European average, it can be said that the market is highly competitive, since none of the market subjects clearly dominates. Individual retail chains in their pricing policies more or less follow the general price trends and tendencies, reflecting the development of the domestic market and in, particular, the EU market.

This paper seeks to estimate exchange rate pass-through in China and investigate its relationship with monetary policy. Linear and VAR models are applied to analyze robustness. The linear model shows that, over the long run, a 1% appreciation of NEER causes a decline in the CPI inflation rate of 0.132% and PPI inflation rate of 0.495%. The VAR model supports the results of the linear model, suggesting a fairly low CPI pass-through and relatively higher PPI pass-through. Furthermore, this paper finds that, with the fixed exchange rate regime, CPI pass-through remains higher. The exchange rate regimes influence on CPI pass through, combined with the fact that appreciation diminishes inflation, suggests that the Chinese government could pursue a more flexible exchange rate policy. In addition, reasons for low exchange rate pass-through for CPI are analyzed. The analysis considers price control, basket and weight of Chinese price indices, distribution cost, and imported and non-tradable share of inputs.

Copyright of Econometrics / Ekonometria is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper seeks to estimate exchange rate pass-through in China and investigate its relationship with monetary policy. Linear and VAR models are applied to analyze robustness. The linear model shows that, over the long run, a 1% appreciation of NEER causes a decline in the CPI inflation rate of 0.132% and PPI inflation rate of 0.495%. The VAR model supports the results of the linear model, suggesting a fairly low CPI pass-through and relatively higher PPI pass-through. Furthermore, this paper finds that, with the fixed exchange rate regime, CPI pass-through remains higher. The exchange rate regimes influence on CPI pass through, combined with the fact that appreciation diminishes inflation, suggests that the Chinese government could pursue a more flexible exchange rate policy. In addition, reasons for low exchange rate pass-through for CPI are analyzed. The analysis considers price control, basket and weight of Chinese price indices, distribution cost, and imported and non-tradable share of inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined 'implicit tax' argument of the agriculturists' lobby to oppose imposition of an agricultural income tax. The paper discovered a widening gap between procurement and export prices of both Basmati and IRRI. The gap between procurement and consumer prices of the two varieties also widened significantly. Thus while both producers and consumers remained on the losing end, first government and then after the policy reforms the exporters and other intermediaries, were the substantial gainers. Since RECP has been disbanded and the Government has opted out of purchase and export of rice, the margin now goes to the exporters instead of the Government. Under the changed rice policy, the 'implicit' tax argument has therefore lost much of weight and relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Sustainable approaches to improving infant and young child feeding are needed. The Nutridev program worked in Vietnam, Madagascar, and Burkina Faso to test different strategies to improve complementary feeding using fortified products sold to families. Objective. To review the experiences of programs producing and marketing fortified complementary foods and to report on the feasibility of local production and marketing of fortified complementary foods to increase usage of high-quality foods among children of lowincome families in a self-sustaining manner. Methods. Project documents, surveys of mothers, and production and sales reports were reviewed. Results. Nutridev experience in Vietnam, Madagascar, and Burkina Faso demonstrates that it is possible to produce affordable, high-quality complementary foods and supplements locally in developing countries. Strategies to make products readily available to the targeted population and to convince this population to consume them yielded mixed results, varying greatly based on the strategy utilized and the context in which it was implemented. Conclusions. In several contexts, the optimal approach appears to be strengthening the existing food distribution network to sell complementary foods and supplements, with the implementation of a temporary promotion and nutrition education network in partnership with local authorities (e.g., health services) to increase awareness among families about the fortified complementary food product and optimal feeding practices. In urban areas, where the density of the population is high, design and implementation of specific networks very close to consumers seems to be a good way to combine economic sustainability and good consumption levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper argues that “Do auctions raise consumer prices?” is a misleading question. License fee payment methods, rather than spectrum assignment methods, are key factors that bring forth different market outcomes in the wireless telecommunication industry. This paper analyzes and discusses the effects of three spectrum license fee payment methods—upfront lump-sum fees, royalties, and profit sharing—on economic efficiency, spectrum supply, and government revenue. Royalties create distortions in product and factor markets but can induce the government to increase spectrum supply and encourage firms’ investments. A caveat is that the analyses are based on the model assuming monopoly market and information certainty. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sharp fluctuations in global oil prices and their associated impact on global economic imbalances have contributed to the renewed debate among the policy makers regarding the nature and the extent of these fluctuations. This study is designed to investigate the impact of oil prices on the small open economy of Oman. Structural Vector Auto Regressive (SVAR) model has been adopted to trace the dynamic inter-relationships among the key macroeconomic variables. Evidence suggests that changes in crude oil prices significantly affect output, external balances and the monetary and fiscal variables. The external shocks induced by positive changes in global oil prices likely affect the demand management policies in the short and long-run. In the longrun, changes in oil prices determine the output and subsequent fiscal and monetary policy changes, while in the short-run, fluctuations are contained well through demand management policies. Continuation of expansionary fiscal and monetary policies may likely contain the effects of imported inflation. However, in the long run, over reliance on expansionary policies may less likely to be a feasible option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents long-term analyzed rainfall and temperature data obtained from the National Metrological Agency (NMA) of Ethiopia. Using tables and graphic trends of analysis, the article shows the low and declining level of average annual rainfall as well as the high inter-annual fluctuations for 18 weather stations located in different agro-climatic zones of the country. The high variation of annual maximum and minimum temperature has been similarly observed for decades in the stations. Ethiopia's average annual temperature has risen between 1955 and 2015 by 1.65 °C. The country's agricultural production depends heavily on local temperature and rainfall. The evidence is clear that a slight change in such climatic elements negatively affects the food security condition of both producers and consumers. Although data from the Central Statistical Agency (CSA) show that major cereal crop production has increased at the national level, partly due to the increasing application of fertilizers and modern seeds, Ethiopia's food security condition is deteriorating due to global climatic events caused droughts and rain failure. The rate of food price inflation is thus often higher than the general consumer price inflation rate.