Argentine agricultural policy: economic analysis and impact assessment using the producer support estimate (PSE) approach

Abstract

This paper analyzes agricultural policy in Argentina and calculates the degree of support received by producers and consumers. We present a summary of developments in the agricultural policy environment that have occurred in the last decades in Argentina, as well as the resulting performance of the agricultural sector. The concepts of Producer Support Estimates, Consumer Support Estimates, General Services Support Estimates, Producer Nominal Assistance Coefficient and Nominal Protection Coefficient are used to analyse different dimensions of transfers occurring between agricultural producers, consumers and taxpayers in the period 20072012. Total transfers from producers have averaged US$ 11.000 million annually or 26 per cent of total gross farm receipts. Support flowing from the public sector to producers in the form of RD, infrastructure and other "public good" type of inputs totalize some 500 million annually.

El trabajo analiza la política agrícola en Argentina y estima el grado de apoyo recibido por los productores y los consumidores. Se resume la evolución de la política agrícola en las últimas décadas así como del comportamiento del sector agrícola. Se sigue la metodología de la OECD para estimar los PSE y analizar diferentes dimensiones de las transferencias que se producen entre los productores agrícolas, los consumidores y los contribuyentes en el período 2007-2012. Las estimaciones muestran que las transferencias totales de los productores agropecuarios hacia los consumidores y el estado en Argentina han tenido un promedio de 11.000 millones de dólares anuales en el período 2007-2012.