Relative export competitiveness of the Cambodian rice sector
ISSN: 0007-070X
Article publication date: 1 May 2020
Issue publication date: 15 October 2020
Abstract
Purpose
In this paper, the authors derive time-varying relative export competitiveness (REC) of the Cambodian rice sector from 1995 to 2018 and examine the key determinants of the REC.
Design/methodology/approach
Three different REC indexes are calculated in this paper. The authors also developed the relative symmetric export competitiveness (RSEC) index for calculation of comparative advantage. The short-run regression (SRR) model was applied for capturing the determinants of the REC.
Findings
The study results reveal that Cambodia's rice exports became relatively competitive over time. The key findings suggest the Cambodian REC was strengthened as a result of a successful implementation of rice policy and rectangular strategy. The benefits gained from EBA and BRI were found to be the factors contributed to the REC. The higher per capita income had a positive effect on the REC, while higher domestic prices reduced the REC in some phases of the sectoral development.
Research limitations/implications
Further research is needed in two directions. First, the future studies might focus on other agro-products of Cambodia. Second, the development of the crop-specific factor endowment (CFE) model to consider the effect of endowment factors on the REC could be preferred in light of the data availability.
Originality/value
The research enriches the literature on the agricultural trade and provides a basis for further studies. This work makes a few contributions. First, it is the first study on the REC analysis for the Cambodian rice sector. Second, the latest 24-year data sets were covered. Third, a wide range of comparisons of REC among the world's top rice exporters was provided following implications of the various economic policies and foreign policy strategies, such as RS, EBA and BRI.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the anonymous reviewers and the Editor-in-Chief for their constructive comments on the earlier draft of the paper.Disclosure statement: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Citation
Kea, S., Li, H., Shahriar, S. and Abdullahi, N.M. (2020), "Relative export competitiveness of the Cambodian rice sector", British Food Journal, Vol. 122 No. 12, pp. 3757-3778. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-12-2019-0950
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited