Restrictions for biodiesel markets growth: an analysis of transaction costs and price transmissions of soybeans from the US to Brazil

Abstract

The present study is aimed to analyze the price transmission of soybeans commodities, the main input for production of biodiesel in Brazil. Our goal was to capture the presence of transaction costs in markets of soybean from a dynamic perspective in the presence of the Law of One Price (LOP). Statistical tests and Vector Error Correction (VEC and TVEC) models were estimated. The results indicated that 1) over the long term, the prices of soybeans and soybean bran quoted in the city of Oeste, Passo Fundo and Rondonópolis tend to follow the changes in commodity price quoted in the CBOT 2) the prices for soybean oil were relatively protected. Also, to developing biodiesel markets in Brazil is necessary minimize the environmental impact of soybean cultivation, mainly on Amazon and Cerrado biomes.