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Block-Rate versus Uniform Water Pricing in Agriculture: An Empirical Analysis

Author

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  • Ziv Bar-Shira
  • Israel Finkelshtain
  • Avi Simhon

Abstract

In this article we adapt Burtless and Hausman's (1978) methodology in order to estimate farmers' demand for irrigation water under increasing block-rate tariffs and empirically assess its effect on aggregate demand and inter-farm allocation efficiency. This methodology overcomes the technical challenges raised by increasing block-rate pricing and accounts for both observed and unobserved technological heterogeneity among farmers. Employing micro panel data documenting irrigation levels and prices in 185 Israeli agricultural communities in the period 1992–1997, we estimate water demand elasticity at −0.3 in the short run (the effect of a price change on demand within a year of implementation) and −0.46 in the long run. We also find that, in accordance with common belief, switching from a single to a block-price regime, yields a 7% reduction in average water use while maintaining the same average price. However, based on our simulations we estimate that the switch to block prices will result in a loss of approximately 1% of agricultural output due to inter-farm allocation inefficiencies. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Ziv Bar-Shira & Israel Finkelshtain & Avi Simhon, 2006. "Block-Rate versus Uniform Water Pricing in Agriculture: An Empirical Analysis," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 88(4), pages 986-999.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ajagec:v:88:y:2006:i:4:p:986-999
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/j.1467-8276.2006.00911.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicholas Rivers & Steven Groves, 2013. "The Welfare Impact of Self-supplied Water Pricing in Canada: A Computable General Equilibrium Assessment," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 55(3), pages 419-445, July.
    2. Gallego-Ayala, Jordi & Gómez-Limón Rodríguez, José A., 2010. "Evaluación del impacto de la tarifación del agua de riego sobre la sostenibilidad del regadío: una aproximación a través de indicadores sintéticos/Impact assessment of irrigation water pricing in irri," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 28, pages 375-404, Agosto.
    3. Fouquet, Roger & O'Garra, Tanya, 2022. "In pursuit of progressive and effective climate policies: Comparing an air travel carbon tax and a frequent flyer levy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    4. Yerushalmi, Erez, 2018. "Using Water Allocation in Israel as a Proxy for Imputing the Value of Agricultural Amenities," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 12-20.
    5. Prakashan Veettil & Stijn Speelman & Guido Huylenbroeck, 2013. "Estimating the Impact of Water Pricing on Water Use Efficiency in Semi-arid Cropping System: An Application of Probabilistically Constrained Nonparametric Efficiency Analysis," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(1), pages 55-73, January.
    6. Luckmann, Jonas & Siddig, Khalid H.A. & Flaig, Dorothee & Grethe, Harald, 2012. "Mitigating Water Scarcity In Israel – A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis," 52nd Annual Conference, Stuttgart, Germany, September 26-28, 2012 133942, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    7. Lee, Gi-Eu & Chou, Chang-Erh, 2020. "The Ex Ante Price Information Effect on Water Conservation: A Case Study of Taipei’s Water Tariff Adjustment," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304253, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. Speelman, Stijn & Buysse, Jeroen & Farolfi, Stefano & Frija, Aymen & D'Haese, Marijke & D'Haese, Luc, 2009. "Estimating the impacts of water pricing on smallholder irrigators in North West Province, South Africa," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(11), pages 1560-1566, November.
    9. Xunzhou Ma & Dan Wu & Shiqiu Zhang, 2018. "Multiple Goals Dilemma of Residential Water Pricing Policy Reform: Increasing Block Tariffs or a Uniform Tariff with Rebate?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-17, September.
    10. Gebreegziabher, Z. & Mekonnen, A. & Beyene, A.D. & Hagos, F., 2018. "Valuation of access to irrigation water in rural Ethiopia: application of choice experiment and contingent valuation methods," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277168, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Jeffrey A. EDWARDS & Alfredo A. ROMERO & R. Gary PUMPHREY, 2014. "Supporting the Development of Municipal Water Policy: A study of the United States with Implications for Other Nations," Applied Econometrics and International Development, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 14(2).
    12. Benjamin Ouvrard & Arnaud Reynaud & Stéphane Cezera & Alban Thomas & Dishant Jojit James & Murudaiah Shivamurthy, 2023. "Distributive Justice in the Field: How do Indian Farmers Share Water? ," Working Papers hal-04150233, HAL.
    13. R. Aaron Hrozencik & Dale T. Manning & Jordan F. Suter & Christopher Goemans, 2022. "Impacts of Block‐Rate Energy Pricing on Groundwater Demand in Irrigated Agriculture," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(1), pages 404-427, January.
    14. Blanco-Gutiérrez, Irene & Varela-Ortega, Consuelo & Flichman, Guillermo, 2011. "Cost-effectiveness of groundwater conservation measures: A multi-level analysis with policy implications," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(4), pages 639-652, February.
    15. Veettil, Prakashan Chellattan & Speelman, Stijn & Frija, Aymen & Buysse, Jeroen & van Huylenbroeck, Guido, 2011. "Complementarity between water pricing, water rights and local water governance: A Bayesian analysis of choice behaviour of farmers in the Krishna river basin, India," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(10), pages 1756-1766, August.
    16. Alban Lika & Francesco Galioto & Davide Viaggi, 2017. "Water Authorities’ Pricing Strategies to Recover Supply Costs in the Absence of Water Metering for Irrigated Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-16, November.
    17. Bar-Nahum, Ziv & Reznik, Ami & Finkelshtain, Israel & Kan, Iddo, 2022. "Centralized water management under lobbying: Economic analysis of desalination in Israel," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).

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