The Role of Imports for Exporter Performance in Peru
Using highly disaggregated firm-level customs transaction data for imports and exports in Peru over the 2000–2012 period, this paper explores the relationship between imports of intermediate inputs and firm export performance. The paper shows that...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2015
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2015/11/25462527/role-imports-exporter-performance-peru http://hdl.handle.net/10986/23458 |
| Summary: | Using highly disaggregated firm-level
customs transaction data for imports and exports in Peru
over the 2000–2012 period, this paper explores the
relationship between imports of intermediate inputs and firm
export performance. The paper shows that greater use,
variety, and quality of imported intermediate inputs is
significantly correlated with higher exports, faster export
growth, greater diversification of export markets, and
higher quality exports (as measured by relative unit prices)
at the firm level. This relationship is robust and
persistent to controls for unobserved firm heterogeneity and
year fixed effects. The use of imported inputs is also
associated with higher productivity at the firm level.
Considering the relationship between specific trade policy
measures and the import performance of those exporters that
are direct importers, the analysis shows that those exposed
to higher tariffs and nontariff measures import less in
total and exhibit lower import variety. The use of the
advanced clearance procedure as the modality to clear
customs for imports is favorable to the import performance
of exporter-importers, in that the users of the modality
import more and import a more diversified bundle of inputs
than those that do not use it, even after controlling for
firm size. |
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