Nexus of energy and food nutrition prices in oil importing and exporting countries: A panel VAR model

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between energy and food nutrition prices through food calorie, fat, protein, and crude oil price links in the case of eight net oil importing (U.S., Korea, China, and Japan) and exporting (Canada, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirate, and Iran) countries. For this purpose, we use a Panel-VAR model with data for the 1974–2018 period. The results show that the effects of oil prices shocks on food nutrition prices are different in the two groups of countries. These effects, in oil importing countries, are initially declining and then adjusts over several periods while they are incremental and meaningful for oil exporting countries. In addition, the effects of real gross domestic product (GDP) and exchange rates on food nutrition prices are statistically significant in the oil exporting countries, while they have no direct effect on the food calorie and fat prices in the net oil importing countries. These results suggest that crude oil price, income, and exchange rate policies play an effective role in controlling hunger levels and improving food security in oil-exporting countries.