Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
_version_ 1867613670288130048
access_status_str Open Access
author2 Louw, Marlene
author_browse Louw, Marlene
author_facet Louw, Marlene
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2017 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MSc (Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2016.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/60801
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:50.247Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2017
publishDateRange 2017
publishDateSort 2017
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/60801 Measuring the impact of Swaziland's import licensing and price-setting policy on price dynamics between South African and Swaziland maize markets Louw, Marlene dlaminithembumenzi@gmail.com Dlamini, Thembumenzi Nokwanda UCTD Market integration White maize prices Government policies South Africa Maize production Food security National Maize Corporation (NMC) Price stabilization Maize marketing policy Pricing policy Price transmission Regional market integration Market efficiency Arbitrage process Policy implications Import parity Domestic maize prices Econometric time series South African maize market South Africa - Swaziland Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-01 SDG-01: No poverty Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-02 SDG-02: Zero hunger Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-08 SDG-08: Decent work and economic growth Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-10 SDG-10: Reduced inequalities Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-12 SDG-12: Responsible consumption and production Dissertation (MSc (Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2016. In Swaziland, maize is important for food security, yet its production is low and the country has not achieved self-sufficiency. Swaziland has had a shortfall in domestic maize production since independence. About 80 percent of the rural population never has enough maize for consumption. The National Maize Corporation (NMC) was established as a self-sufficiency mechanism in 1985. The NMC is the only white maize importer and is also responsible for the stabilisation of domestic prices. The organisation has endeavoured to stabilise Swaziland's maize prices, though they are still high by regional comparisons. This study seeks to investigate the relationship between Swaziland and South African white maize prices in the presence of maize marketing and pricing policy, as implemented by the NMC. The maize marketing policy controls flow of maize imports and exports in Swaziland, while the pricing policy controls the domestic white maize prices. The current pricing relationship between the two countries was compared with a scenario where marketing and pricing policies in Swaziland are absent. This was done in order to gauge the effect that these policies have on the integration of Swaziland into the regional maize market and ultimately how Swaziland maize prices are affected by price transmission process in the presence and absence of these policies. The study used secondary data from the NMC, the Ministry of Agriculture, and journals. Monthly data from 2000 to 2014 are used and econometric time series techniques are applied. The study hypothesised that there is a long-run relationship between Swaziland and South African maize prices, given the current market structure. It also hypothesised the short-run dynamics correct deviations from the long run in a fast and efficient manner. Lastly, it is hypothesised that current policies are not hampering marketing integration or impeding regional price signals to flow through to Swaziland maize markets. The results confirm the presence of a long-run price relationship between the above-mentioned markets. In the presence of the current maize marketing and pricing policy, the error correction term corrected or adjusted the disequilibrium, from long-run equilibrium levels, at a speed of 3.8 per cent per period, indicating relatively slow correction. This could serve as evidence of inefficient integration between the two markets and an indication of weak arbitrage process. Weak arbitrage, in turn, has definite welfare implications in that it leads to inefficient allocation of resources. In comparison to the other scenario, there is a slight difference: when analysing the relationship between import parity and Swaziland domestic prices without policy measures, short-run and long-run relationship between markets are also confirmed. Here the error correction term, however corrected the disequilibrium of the system at a speed of 4.7 percent per period. This shows a slight improvement of efficiency when policies are eliminated. This study could be useful to policy makers in that it imparts knowledge on how world price signals are transmitted to their domestic markets. Understanding the price dynamics could, therefore, facilitate policy formulation related to price and marketing in the white maize industry. The findings of this study could ultimately also inform the self-sufficiency versus food affordability debate. es2025 Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development MSc (Agric) Unrestricted SDG-01: No poverty SDG-02: Zero hunger SDG-08: Decent work and economic growth SDG-10: Reduced inequalities SDG-12: Responsible consumption and production 2017-06-05T12:10:05Z 2017-06-05T12:10:05Z 2017-04-05 2016 Dissertation Dlamini, TN 2016, Measuring the impact of Swaziland's import licensing and price-setting policy on price dynamics between South African and Swaziland maize markets, MSc (Agric) Dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/60801> A2017 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/60801 en © 2017 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Market integration
White maize prices
Government policies
South Africa
Maize production
Food security
National Maize Corporation (NMC)
Price stabilization
Maize marketing policy
Pricing policy
Price transmission
Regional market integration
Market efficiency
Arbitrage process
Policy implications
Import parity
Domestic maize prices
Econometric time series
South African maize market
South Africa - Swaziland
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-01
SDG-01: No poverty
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-02
SDG-02: Zero hunger
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-08
SDG-08: Decent work and economic growth
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-10
SDG-10: Reduced inequalities
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-12
SDG-12: Responsible consumption and production
Measuring the impact of Swaziland's import licensing and price-setting policy on price dynamics between South African and Swaziland maize markets
title Measuring the impact of Swaziland's import licensing and price-setting policy on price dynamics between South African and Swaziland maize markets
title_full Measuring the impact of Swaziland's import licensing and price-setting policy on price dynamics between South African and Swaziland maize markets
title_fullStr Measuring the impact of Swaziland's import licensing and price-setting policy on price dynamics between South African and Swaziland maize markets
title_full_unstemmed Measuring the impact of Swaziland's import licensing and price-setting policy on price dynamics between South African and Swaziland maize markets
title_short Measuring the impact of Swaziland's import licensing and price-setting policy on price dynamics between South African and Swaziland maize markets
title_sort measuring the impact of swaziland s import licensing and price setting policy on price dynamics between south african and swaziland maize markets
topic UCTD
Market integration
White maize prices
Government policies
South Africa
Maize production
Food security
National Maize Corporation (NMC)
Price stabilization
Maize marketing policy
Pricing policy
Price transmission
Regional market integration
Market efficiency
Arbitrage process
Policy implications
Import parity
Domestic maize prices
Econometric time series
South African maize market
South Africa - Swaziland
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-01
SDG-01: No poverty
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-02
SDG-02: Zero hunger
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-08
SDG-08: Decent work and economic growth
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-10
SDG-10: Reduced inequalities
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-12
SDG-12: Responsible consumption and production
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/60801