The spatial integration of livestock markets in Niger

A study of the integration of livestock markets in Niger is presented. Analysis is based on data of 15 animal categories collected monthly in 38 districts over a period of 21 years (1968-88). Price variability over space is examined by testing whether Nigerian livestock prices are spatially integrated. It is shown that livestock markets are poorly integrated. Prices are seldom co integrated, suggesting that large price differentials occasionally persist between adjacent areas for long periods of time. A parity bounds approach indicates that one has to assume high transportation costs and large quality variations to reconcile the data with efficient spatial arbitrage. These results confirm descriptive studies that have emphasized regional segmentation in West African livestock trade. (CAB Abstracts)