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Abstract
This study examined the effects of trade liberalization and
exchange rate changes on carbohydrate staples in Nigeria.
Secondary data published from 1974 to 2006 on cassava exports
and rice imports as well as non-tradable carbohydrate staples
were used. It was hypothesized that exchange rate changes and
trade liberalization via price relatives, trade intensity and nominal
protection coefficient have affected prices of carbohydrate staples
in Nigeria. Results show that the effects of trade liberalization
on prices of non tradable carbohydrate staples were mixed.
Trade liberalization accounted for most changes in the price of
non tradable rice than other crops. World prices positively
affected the prices of maize and non tradable rice. Also increasing
exchange rate will lead to increase in price of non tradable rice
due to price competition with imported rice. The intensification
of liberalization exercise from the removal of quantitative
restriction to use of tariff, among other recommendations, should
be encouraged because it can be a remedy to the negative
impact of increase in the trade intensity and erosion of nominal
protection coefficient on prices of the non tradable crops.