Price asymmetry of tomato, onion and potato in Fars province

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate price asymmetry transmission in both wholesale and retail for onion, potato and tomato in Fars province. For this purpose, equation price asymmetry based on monthly retail and wholesale prices in October 1998 till September 2007 was employed. Results of estimating equation for price asymmetry potato product indicated significant relationship between two levels of retail and wholesale markets. The results also revealed a negative asymmetry in the price of tomato retail and wholesale level is negative asymmetry that expresses in a way of prices respond more to rising wholesale prices than falling prices. On the other hand, results for onion indicated significant relationship response for the producer-retail price relationship. The intercepts of the equations for the three products are positive and significant, which express marketing margins at two levels of retail and wholesale. Therefore, increasing consumer price and broker profit due to marketing margins should be noticed in the pricing policies.

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