Impact of Mobile Phones on Staple Food Markets in Mozambique: Improved Arbitrage or Increased Rent Extraction?

Research output: Working paper / PreprintWorking paperAcademic

Abstract

I use the quasi experimental nature of the roll-out of the mobile phone network in Mozambique to estimate the impact of search costs on the dispersion of maize prices and transport costs. The introduction of mobile phone services from 1997 to 2009 explains a 4.5-11% percent reduction in price dispersion of maize prices, and a slightly larger reduction in per ton km transport costs. Apart from an improvement of the efficiency of maize markets, the evidence suggests that traders benefit by capturing increased rent income. Various sources of potential heterogeneity are identified: the reduction is larger for pairs connecting remote locations, for source markets with a low poverty head count and with a higher mobile phone coverage in neighbouring markets, and during drought periods.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationAmsterdam
PublisherTinbergen Institute
Number of pages38
Volume17-021/V
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Publication series

NameTinbergen Institute Discussion Paper
PublisherTinbergen Institute
No.17-021/V

Keywords

  • search costs, transport costs, mobile phones, agricultural markets, maize prices, sub-Saharan Africa, Mozambique

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Impact of Mobile Phones on Staple Food Markets in Mozambique: Improved Arbitrage or Increased Rent Extraction?'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this