Trade Costs of Pakistan with its Major Trading Partners: Measurement and its Determinants

Trade costs are cited as an important determinant of volume of trade. Higher trade cost is an obstacle to trade as it impedes the realization of gains from trade liberalisation. Determinants of trade costs of Pakistan for the period 2003-2012 with their major trading partners across Asia, European...

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Main Authors: Zafar Mahmood†, Saba Altaf, Shabana Noureen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: National University of Sciences and Technology 2021-01-01
Series:NUST Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
Subjects:
Online Access:https://njssh.nust.edu.pk/index.php/njssh/article/view/24
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author Zafar Mahmood†
Saba Altaf
Shabana Noureen
author_facet Zafar Mahmood†
Saba Altaf
Shabana Noureen
author_sort Zafar Mahmood†
collection DOAJ
description Trade costs are cited as an important determinant of volume of trade. Higher trade cost is an obstacle to trade as it impedes the realization of gains from trade liberalisation. Determinants of trade costs of Pakistan for the period 2003-2012 with their major trading partners across Asia, European Union and North America are investigated. Several gravity type variables have been used as trade cost determinants. Trade costs for agricultural and non-agricultural sector are also calculated using a micro-founded trade costs measure. Estimates of trade costs equivalents show a declining trend of trade costs estimates over the period of study. Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square estimation of the model shows that tariff rates and distances between the trading partners increase the bilateral trade costs and thus adversely affect trade. Results show that improvements in port infrastructure and membership of free trade agreement significantly reduce the trade costs. Z-test shows that the effect of determinants of trade costs for agricultural and non-agricultural sectors is invariant. This paper recommends that the agreement on trade facilitation be implemented and reduce the red tape at border crossings to cut down the trade costs.
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institution Kabale University
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publisher National University of Sciences and Technology
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spelling doaj-art-ba02ebd7ea3b4eb7a7ec2ff4a4d4c7b72025-08-20T03:45:36ZengNational University of Sciences and TechnologyNUST Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities2520-503X2523-00262021-01-0132Trade Costs of Pakistan with its Major Trading Partners: Measurement and its DeterminantsZafar Mahmood†Saba AltafShabana Noureen Trade costs are cited as an important determinant of volume of trade. Higher trade cost is an obstacle to trade as it impedes the realization of gains from trade liberalisation. Determinants of trade costs of Pakistan for the period 2003-2012 with their major trading partners across Asia, European Union and North America are investigated. Several gravity type variables have been used as trade cost determinants. Trade costs for agricultural and non-agricultural sector are also calculated using a micro-founded trade costs measure. Estimates of trade costs equivalents show a declining trend of trade costs estimates over the period of study. Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square estimation of the model shows that tariff rates and distances between the trading partners increase the bilateral trade costs and thus adversely affect trade. Results show that improvements in port infrastructure and membership of free trade agreement significantly reduce the trade costs. Z-test shows that the effect of determinants of trade costs for agricultural and non-agricultural sectors is invariant. This paper recommends that the agreement on trade facilitation be implemented and reduce the red tape at border crossings to cut down the trade costs. https://njssh.nust.edu.pk/index.php/njssh/article/view/24Trade CostsGravity ModelLiner Shipping Connectivity Index
spellingShingle Zafar Mahmood†
Saba Altaf
Shabana Noureen
Trade Costs of Pakistan with its Major Trading Partners: Measurement and its Determinants
NUST Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
Trade Costs
Gravity Model
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
title Trade Costs of Pakistan with its Major Trading Partners: Measurement and its Determinants
title_full Trade Costs of Pakistan with its Major Trading Partners: Measurement and its Determinants
title_fullStr Trade Costs of Pakistan with its Major Trading Partners: Measurement and its Determinants
title_full_unstemmed Trade Costs of Pakistan with its Major Trading Partners: Measurement and its Determinants
title_short Trade Costs of Pakistan with its Major Trading Partners: Measurement and its Determinants
title_sort trade costs of pakistan with its major trading partners measurement and its determinants
topic Trade Costs
Gravity Model
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
url https://njssh.nust.edu.pk/index.php/njssh/article/view/24
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AT sabaaltaf tradecostsofpakistanwithitsmajortradingpartnersmeasurementanditsdeterminants
AT shabananoureen tradecostsofpakistanwithitsmajortradingpartnersmeasurementanditsdeterminants