The Food Miles Effect of the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement

Abstract

This paper estimates food miles effects for Korea. The data set is constructed using 4-digit Harmonized System codes for 169 products and each product’s trade flows with a total of 71 trading partners. The food miles level is estimated as 258 billion ton-km in 2010, which is equivalent to 5.4 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, or 1% of the total agricultural import value. Under the Korea-China FTA framework the trade expansion effect brings about a higher CO2 emission level than the case of trade shifting effects. This finding suggests that trade expansion should put more weight in gauging the CO2 emission effects of the FTA. Finally, analysis of Napa cabbage and turnip trades confirms the non-reversal of their food miles effects when they are estimated by a product life-cycle approach.

This paper estimates food miles effects for Korea. The data set is constructed using 4-digit Harmonized System codes for 169 products and each product’s trade flows with a total of 71 trading partners. The food miles level is estimated as 258 billion ton-km in 2010, which is equivalent to 5.4 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, or 1% of the total agricultural import value. Under the Korea-China FTA framework the trade expansion effect brings about a higher CO2 emission level than the case of trade shifting effects. This finding suggests that trade expansion should put more weight in gauging the CO2 emission effects of the FTA. Finally, analysis of Napa cabbage and turnip trades confirms the non-reversal of their food miles effects when they are estimated by a product life-cycle approach.