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An economic model of Brazil's ethanol-sugar markets and impacts of fuel policies

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  • de Gorter, Harry
  • Drabik, Dusan
  • Kliauga, Erika M.
  • Timilsina, Govinda R.

Abstract

The lack of growth in the Brazilian sugarcane-ethanol complex since the 2008 financial crisis has been blamed on policies: lower mandate, holding gasoline prices below world levels, high fuel taxes, and inadequate fuel tax exemptions for ethanol. This paper develops an empirical model of the Brazilian fuel-ethanol-sugar complex to analyze the impacts of these policies. Unlike biofuel mandates and tax exemptions elsewhere, Brazil's fuel-ethanol-sugar markets and fuel policies are unique such that each policy, in theory, has an ambiguous impact on the market price of ethanol and hence on sugarcane and sugar prices. The results indicate two policies that seemingly help the ethanol industry do otherwise in reality: low gasoline taxes and high anhydrous tax exemptions lower ethanol prices. But higher mandates, hydrous ethanol tax exemptions, and gasoline prices had the expected impact of increasing ethanol and sugar prices. Eliminating Brazilian ethanol tax exemptions and mandates reduces ethanol prices by 21 percent. Observed changes in prices are explained by outward shifts in fuel transportation and sugar export demand curves, and bad weather reducing sugarcane supply.

Suggested Citation

  • de Gorter, Harry & Drabik, Dusan & Kliauga, Erika M. & Timilsina, Govinda R., 2013. "An economic model of Brazil's ethanol-sugar markets and impacts of fuel policies," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6524, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:6524
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Nunez, Hector & Onal, Hayri, 2013. "An Economic Analysis of Transportation Fuel Policies in Brazil," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 149973, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Moncada, J.A. & Verstegen, J.A. & Posada, J.A. & Junginger, M. & Lukszo, Z. & Faaij, A. & Weijnen, M., 2018. "Exploring policy options to spur the expansion of ethanol production and consumption in Brazil: An agent-based modeling approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 619-641.
    3. Chang, Chia-Lin & McAleer, Michael & Wang, Yu-Ann, 2018. "Modelling volatility spillovers for bio-ethanol, sugarcane and corn spot and futures prices," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 1002-1018.
    4. Valdes, Constanza & Hjort, Kim & Seeley, Ralph, 2016. "Brazil’s Agricultural Land Use and Trade: Effects of Changes in Oil Prices and Ethanol Demand," Economic Research Report 242449, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    5. Anelise Rahmeier Seyffarth, 2016. "The Impact of Rising Ethanol Production on the Brazilian Market for Basic Food Commodities: An Econometric Assessment," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 64(3), pages 511-536, July.
    6. Khanna, Madhu & Hector, Nunez & David, Zilberman, 2014. "The Political-Economy of Biofuel and Cheap Oil Policies in Brazil," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 169471, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Oliveira, Sydnei Marssal de & Ribeiro, Celma de Oliveira & Cicogna, Maria Paula Vieira, 2018. "Uncertainty effects on production mix and on hedging decisions: The case of Brazilian ethanol and sugar," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 516-524.
    8. Khanna, Madhu & Nuñez, Hector M. & Zilberman, David, 2016. "Who pays and who gains from fuel policies in Brazil?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 133-143.

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