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Belgian pork production has faced stagnating prices for decades. It remains unclearwhether excessive market power from slaughterhouses or meat retailers has played arole in this trend. While market power studies can reveal some of the market dynamicsin this setting, this type of research has not yet been applied to the Belgian pork market.The present paper investigates oligopolies and oligopsonies in the pork productionsector. We build a new model that focuses on market power dynamics in the market forlive pigs and distinguishes horizontal and vertical market power parameters, both forpig farmers and for slaughterhouses. The results follow from an empirical applicationusing unique slaughterhouse data for 2001–2015. The results indicate that the farmersbenefit from a significant power advantage in the live pig market, when very modestprice demands are taken as a reference. The final market price of live pigs approachesthe price requested by the farmers. On the other hand, the measured vertical marketpower also suggests that a pig farmer does not receive the (modest) full-wage-basedsalary. The market power of the slaughterhouses is also limited. Market power as aresult of collusion—that is, horizontal market power—is present, but is not strong.However, there are significant differences between the slaughterhouses in terms ofmark-up on the input prices. These differences reflect differences in company strategy,and this diversity further reduces the possibility to create sector-wide collusivebehaviour.

The issue of competition in the agri-food value chain has attracted attention in literature since the use structure-conduct-performance framework. Despite the use of several methods, the new empirical industrial organization (NEIO) models have received much attention. This study examines the NEIO approaches under the lenses of Porter’s five competitive forces. This study shows that all the five competitive forces can be estimated and are also relevant in the determination of market power in the agri-food sector. However, our assessment suggests that none of the NEIO approaches including those with major extensions capture all the competitive forces, which determine competition in any industry according to Porter. There is the need to make a conscious effort in order to account for Porter’s forces of competition. This study, therefore, provides a sort of foundation to build on for future modeling methods that estimate market power in the agri-food value chain.

In 2017 the quota system, that has regulated the European sugar beet production since 1968, will terminate. Thus, for almost 50 years farmers within the European Union were guaranteed a minimum prize, making the cultivation of sugar beet a reliable source of income. With the quota system phasing out this situation is going to change. Sugar beet prices, as well as the sugar amount demanded will increasingly depend on the global market situation. Flemish sugar beet farmers fear the milk scenario to repeat in the European sugar sector. Since many farmers only have limited attractive alternatives to sugar beet cultivation in Flanders, a drop in sugar beet prices would call farmers to strike new paths. Sugar beet is a crop employed to improve soil quality. Thus the termination of the quota does not only bring questions about economic viability but also about environmental sustainability to the fore. However, it is uncertain how the situation for Flemish sugar beet farmers will develop. In this paper we analyze the current situation of Flemish sugar beet farmers based on literature research, as well as interviews and focus groups with farmers employing systems thinking. As only two sugar refineries process sugar within Belgium we particularly focused on market power problems arising from market liberalization. Systems thinking allowed us to get a holistic view on the situation and identifying the dynamics underlying the whole system. This method, subsequently, permitted forecasting potential reactions of the system to the quota termination. Horizon 2020 grant agreement number 635577

From an economic perspective the reason for unsustainable behavior is based on the existence of externalities and missing markets or common goods (Common and Stagl 2005, Wiesmeth 2012). Thus, the main focus of tackling unsustainable outcomes and behavior is on internalization (Bithas 2011, van den Bergh 2012) and on creating new markets as international endeavors in the realm of greenhouse gases or climate change (UNFCCC), biodiversity (TEEB) and land degradation (ELD) illustrate. Externalities, missing markets and common goods are one form of market failure, which influence on sustainability is well studied. Other market failures, like market power, on the other hand do not enter the field of sustainability science so far. This paper introduces the impact of market power on sustainability particularly in the agrifood sector. In doing so another economic factor is added to the analysis of sustainability, making a significant contribution to the field of sustainability science. Market power is especially of importance for the agrifood sector as concentration in this sector increases (FAO 2015). Rising concentration in the agrifood sector is accompanied by the fear of increasing prices for consumers and falling prices for farmers. Both instances may have serious implications for environmental, social as well as economic sustainability. If market power affects sustainability policy makers need to take it into account and put adequate measures in place to tackle the adverse effects on sustainability of market power. Thus, this paper discusses if and why market power should be taken into consideration as an additional economic factor influencing sustainability. In this regard an overview of sustainability and sustainability assessment as well as on market power with an focus on the agrifood sector is given. The literature review in these two areas reveals that considering market power is necessary as it can affect the social, environmental as well as economic aspect of sustainability. Therefore, it is concluded that more research in this realm is needed to further investigate the relationship, the exact manifestation of market power on sustainability and strategies to tackle negative impacts on sustainability. This work was supported by the Horizon 2020 project SUFISA (grant agreement no 635577).

The Belgian pig production has been confronted with stagnating prices since the start of the century. While several studies have investigated the financial structure of the pork production chain, it remains unclear whether excessive market power from slaughterhouses, or meat retailers plays a role. Market power studies can reveal some of the market dynamics in this setting, but this type of research has not yet been applied to the Belgian pork market. This paper looks at potential oligopolies and oligopsonies in the pork production sector. A new model is build to focus on market power dynamics in the market for live pigs. This model distinguishes horizontal and vertical market power parameters both for pig farmers and for slaughterhouses. The results follow from an empirical application using slaughterhouses data for the period 2002-2011. The potential reasons and consequences of these market powers are discussed.