The effect of rising food prices on nutrient intake among rural–urban migrants in China
China Agricultural Economic Review
ISSN: 1756-137X
Article publication date: 23 May 2023
Issue publication date: 29 August 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of rising food prices on food demand and nutrient intake among rural–urban migrants and whether such impact varies across income classes.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), this study adopts a quadratic almost ideal demand system (QUAIDS) for food demand elasticity and an indirect estimation method for nutrient elasticity to investigate the effects of rising food prices on food demand and nutrient intake among rural–urban migrants.
Findings
The estimated results indicate that an increase in the price of pork alone would lead to a larger reduction in most nutrients among rural–urban migrants than other single targeted food group, and a simultaneous rise in the price of all food groups would have a remarkably adverse effect on the nutritional status of rural–urban migrants in comparison to the nutritional effects of a rise in one targeted food group. In addition, the nutritional effects of food prices across income classes show that the nutritional status is particularly vulnerable to rising food prices among low-income rural–urban migrants.
Originality/value
This paper focuses on analyzing the impact of rising food prices on the nutritional status of rural–urban migrants, a topic that is very limited in the literature. This study provides a fresh look at the effect of volatile food prices on food demand and nutrient intake among rural–urban migrants. The results indicate that income growth would have a remarkable positive effect on nutrient intake for rural–urban migrants, especially for low-income rural–urban migrants. However, an increment in nutrients due to a growth in income would not be far from enough to cover the reduction in nutrients as a result of a simultaneous rise in price of all the studied food categories at the same rate.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the Funds by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71673316), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2021M693430), Major Humanities and Social Sciences Research Projects in Zhejiang higher education institutions (No. 2023QN096), the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province (No. Y202147255) and Zhejiang A & F University (No.W20220182; 2021FR014). Support by Beijing Food Safety Policy and Strategy Research Base and the 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University is also acknowledged.
Citation
Li, L., Bai, J. and Zhu, Q. (2023), "The effect of rising food prices on nutrient intake among rural–urban migrants in China", China Agricultural Economic Review, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 642-665. https://doi.org/10.1108/CAER-04-2022-0084
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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