PRAGMATISM AND STABILITY: THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF AGRICULTURAL PRICING POLICIES IN MALAYSIA, 1960-1983

Glenn Jenkins () and Andrew Lai

No 1988-06, Development Discussion Papers from JDI Executive Programs

Abstract: This study examines the development and evolution of Malaysian agricultural pricing policies in relation to rubber, oil palm, and paddy for the period 1960 to 1983. Particular emphasis is placed on tracing the political pressures that generated and sustained these policies. The magnitude of these pricing policies is measured in terms of the nominal and effective rates of protection they generate; their impact on output, consumption, and foreign exchange earnings is then estimated; and finally, the implications of these policies for the government budget and the incomes of rural households are assessed. It is shown that the agricultural pricing policies have been remarkably stable over this period. These policies have ensured that the price of paddy relative to non-agricultural prices has increased slightly over time. While the rubber and the palm oil sectors have been taxed, substantial funds have been spent on research, replanting, and rural infrastructure that have promoted rural development and the expansion of these export crops.

Keywords: Malaysia; agricultural pricing policies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 86 pages
Date: 1988-08
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://cri-world.com/publications/qed_dp_77.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:qed:dpaper:777

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Development Discussion Papers from JDI Executive Programs Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Mark Babcock ().