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International trade, quality sorting and trade costs: the case of Cognac

Author

Listed:
  • Charlotte Emlinger

    (CEPII - Centre d'études prospectives et d'informations internationales)

  • Viola Lamani

    (UMR MOISA - Marchés, Organisations, Institutions et Stratégies d'Acteurs - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier - CIHEAM - Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

Abstract

This paper tests empirically the validity of the Alchian and Allen effect stipulating that per-unit trade costs increase the relative demand for higher-quality goods. We use an original dataset of French Cognac exports by quality designations and estimate the impact of trade costs on the share of high quality Cognac. The definition of quality, based on the minimum time in oak of the youngest eau-de-vie (wine brandy) used in creating the blend, is objective and time-invariant, which makes the case of Cognac particularly relevant to analyze the impact of different trade costs on its quality mix. We investigate both the impact of distance and customs duties on Cognac's quality mix, from 1996 to 2013, and the impact of a variation in trade costs, brought by the containerization of shipping, between 1969 and 2013. Our results confirm the presence of the Alchian and Allen effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Charlotte Emlinger & Viola Lamani, 2020. "International trade, quality sorting and trade costs: the case of Cognac," Post-Print hal-02918990, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02918990
    DOI: 10.1007/s10290-019-00372-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Fiankor, Dela-Dem Doe, 2022. "Distance to destination and export price variation within agri-food firms," 96th Annual Conference, April 4-6, 2022, K U Leuven, Belgium 321203, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    2. Chen, Natalie & Juvenal, Luciana, 2022. "Markups, quality, and trade costs," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    3. Bastos, Paulo & Silva, Joana, 2010. "The quality of a firm's exports: Where you export to matters," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 99-111, November.
    4. Francesco Guerra, 2023. "How taste proximity affects consumer quality valuation of imported varieties: Evidence from the French food sector," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(9), pages 2857-2890, September.
    5. Duvaleix, Sabine & Emlinger, Charlotte & Gaigné, Carl & Latouche, Karine, 2021. "Geographical indications and trade: Firm-level evidence from the French cheese industry," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    6. Dela‐Dem Doe Fiankor & Bernhard Dalheimer & Daniele Curzi & Onno Hoffmeister & Bernhard Brümmer, 2024. "Does it matter how we ship the good apples out? On specific tariffs, transport modes, and agricultural export prices," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 55(3), pages 498-514, May.
    7. Francesco Guerra, 2024. "Export quality and wage premium," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 160(3), pages 843-871, August.
    8. Ridley, William & Luckstead, Jeff & Devadoss, Stephen, 2022. "Wine: The punching bag in trade retaliation," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    9. Raphaël Chiappini & Cyrielle Gaglio, 2024. "Digital intensity, trade costs and exports' quality upgrading," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 709-747, February.
    10. Agbekponou, Kossi-Messanh & Cheptea, Angela & Latouche, Karine, 2022. "Quality upgrading and position in global value chains," 2022: Transforming Global Value Chains, December 11-13, Clearwater Beach, FL 339411, International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium.
    11. Olivier Bargain & Jean‐Marie Cardebat & Raphaël Chiappini, 2023. "Trade uncorked: Genetic distance and taste‐related barriers in wine trade," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 105(2), pages 674-708, March.
    12. Kossi Messanh Agbekponou & Ilaria Fusacchia, 2024. "Positioning and bargaining power in agri-food global value chains," Post-Print hal-04666053, HAL.
    13. Kossi Messanh Agbekponou & Angela Cheptea & Karine Latouche, 2023. "Quality upgrading and position in global value chains: Firm-level evidence from the French agri-food industry," Post-Print hal-04321480, HAL.
    14. Olivier Bargain & Jean Marie Cardebat & Raphael Chiappini, 2020. "Trade Uncorked: Genetic Resistanceand Quality Heterogeneity in Wine Exports," Working Papers hal-03265170, HAL.
    15. Dela-Dem Doe, 2023. "Distance to destination and export price variation within agri-food firms," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 50(2), pages 563-590.
    16. Bao, Alex & Bontems, Philippe & Cardebat, Jean-Marie & Chiappini, Raphael, 2024. "Exporters’ behaviour in the face of climate volatility," TSE Working Papers 24-1552, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE), revised Oct 2025.
    17. Filippis, Fabrizio De & Giua, Mara & Salvatici, Luca & Vaquero-Pineiro, Cristina, 2021. "The International Competitiveness of Geographical Indications: Hype or Hope?," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315147, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    18. Dela‐Dem Fiankor & Fabio G. Santeramo, 2023. "Revisiting the impact of per‐unit duties on agricultural export prices," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 45(3), pages 1472-1492, September.
    19. Kossi Messanh Agbekponou & Ilaria Fusacchia, 2024. "Positioning and bargaining power in agri-food global value chains," Post-Print hal-04666067, HAL.
    20. De Filippis, Fabrizio & Giua, Mara & Salvatici, Luca & Vaquero-Piñeiro, Cristina, 2022. "The international trade impacts of Geographical Indications: Hype or hope?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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