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International Trade - Theory and Policy, 2010a

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7.10 Import Quotas: Large Country Price Effects<br />

LEARNING OBJECTIVES<br />

1. Identify the effects of an import quota on prices in both countries <strong>and</strong> the quantity<br />

traded.<br />

2. Know the equilibrium conditions that must prevail in a quota equilibrium.<br />

Suppose Mexico, the importing country in free trade, imposes a binding import quota on wheat. The<br />

quota will restrict the flow of wheat across the border. As a result, the supply of wheat to the Mexican<br />

market will fall, <strong>and</strong> if the price remains the same, it will cause excess dem<strong>and</strong> for wheat in the market.<br />

The excess dem<strong>and</strong> will induce an increase in the price of wheat. Since wheat is homogeneous <strong>and</strong> the<br />

market is perfectly competitive, the price of all wheat sold in Mexico, both Mexican wheat <strong>and</strong> U.S.<br />

imports, will rise in price. The higher price will, in turn, reduce dem<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> increase domestic supply,<br />

causing a reduction in Mexico’s import dem<strong>and</strong>.<br />

The restricted wheat supply to Mexico will shift supply back to the U.S. market. Since Mexico is assumed<br />

to be a large importer, the supply shifted back to the U.S. market will generate excess supply in the U.S.<br />

market at the original price <strong>and</strong> cause a reduction in the U.S. price. The lower price will, in turn, reduce<br />

U.S. supply, raise U.S. dem<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> cause a reduction in U.S. export supply.<br />

These price effects are identical in direction to the price effects of an import tax, a voluntary export<br />

restraint, <strong>and</strong> an export tax.<br />

A new quota equilibrium will be reached when the following two conditions are satisfied:<br />

MDMex(PMexQ)=QØØØ<br />

<strong>and</strong><br />

XSUS(PUSQ)=QØØØ,<br />

where QØØØ is the quantity at which the quota is set,PMexQ is the price in Mexico after the quota,<br />

<strong>and</strong> PUSQ is the price in the United States after the quota.<br />

The first condition says that the price must change in Mexico such that import dem<strong>and</strong> falls to the quota<br />

level QØØØ. In order for this to occur, the price in Mexico rises. The second condition says that the price<br />

must change in the United States such that export supply falls to the quota level QØØØ. In order for this<br />

to occur, the price in the United States falls.<br />

Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books<br />

Saylor.org<br />

347

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