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Is ethanol production responsible for the increase in corn prices?

Emrah Koçak, Faik Bilgili, Umit Bulut and Sevda Kuşkaya ()

Renewable Energy, 2022, vol. 199, issue C, 689-696

Abstract: This paper aims to investigate the effects of the production of ethanol, a renewable biofuel, oil prices, population, and exchange rate on corn prices in the US (1985:m1-2020:m7) using a nonlinear smooth transition model. According to the findings, (i) ethanol production (β1 = 0.072, p < 0.01) has an increasing effect on corn prices. (ii) Oil prices (β2 = 0.064, p < 0.05) and population (β3 = 0.851, p < 0.01) put a pressure on corn prices. (iii) The increase in the real exchange rate (β4 = −2.142, p < 0.01) has a decreasing effect on corn prices. The estimation results provide several critical policy implications for ethanol-food competition within the framework of sustainable development policies. First, ethanol production puts pressure on corn prices. Second, policy-oriented research on the biofuel-food competition can provide guidance to ensure sustainability. Finally, in the transformation process of the ethanol industry, technological innovations (use of second or third-generation biofuels) can moderate the food-fuel nexus.

Keywords: Corn prices; Ethanol; Biofuels; Food prices; Non-linear smooth transition; Biofuel-food competition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:199:y:2022:i:c:p:689-696

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2022.08.146

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