Rice Reforms and Poverty in the Philippines: A CGE Analysis

Arbeitspapier

The quantitative restriction (QR) on rice will last until the end of 2004. This paper uses a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to analyze the possible poverty and distributional effects of the removal of the QR and the reduction in tariffs on rice imports. Policy experiments indicate that while market reforms in rice lead to a reduction in the overall headcount poverty index, both the poverty gap and the squared poverty gap indices increase. The Gini coefficient rises as well. In general, these results imply that the poorest of the poor are adversely affected. In particular, while market reforms in rice bring about a reduction in consumer prices that is favorable to all, imports of rice surge and generate displacement effects on poor households that rely heavily on agriculture for factor incomes, particularly on palay rice production and other related activities. Palay production and its output price decline. This translates to lower demand for factor inputs in the sector, lower factor prices in agriculture, and lower factor incomes for these households. Thus, poverty in these groups, as well as general income inequality, deteriorates. However, the results of the experiments involving various poverty-offsetting measures indicate that an increase in direct government transfers to these household groups can provide a better safety net.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: ADBI Research Paper Series ; No. 57

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft
• Subject: Armut ; Armutsbekämpfung ; Reisanbau ; Reispolitik ; Ernährungssicherung ; Philippinen

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Cororaton, Caesar B.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI)
• (where): Tokyo
• (when): 2004

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/111152
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET