ESTIMATING IMPORT FUNCTIONS OF MAIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN SELECTED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FOR PERIOD 1980-2005

Abstract

The research aims at estimating and analyzing the function of imports of some main agricultural products in some developing countries from 1980- 2005. Four developing countries were chosen : Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Syria. These countries are characterized by increase of the quantities of their imports of four types of agricultural crops: Sesame, wheat, rice, and sugar. An econometrical model was used in three formulas which are : linear double- logramatic, and semi – logramatic to estimate the functions of the imports for the mentioned products during the research period. To prove the hypothesis, we have depended on the economical theory concepts and the previous studies which discussed the same subject and collected the variables of study from time serials data and to each country individually because they represent its properties and features which vary from one country to another, and the following conclusions were found : The significant variable (local product) of rice and (the foreign exchange rate) in affecting rice imports in Morocco; the significant variables (purchase price) in importing sesame in Egypt and rice in Morocco; the significant variables (National income) in importing sesame in Egypt and rice in Morocco and sugar in Syria; the significant variable (population rate) in importing wheat in Jordan, rice in Morocco and Sugar in Syria.