AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DEMAND FOR WHOLESALE PORK PRIMALS: SEASONALITY AND STRUCTURAL CHANGE

A set of inverse wholesale pork primal demand models were estimated to estimate wholesale pork primal own-quantity flexibility's, to determine seasonal price fluctuations, and to examine whether the flexibility's have changed in absolute magnitude over time. Results of this analysis indicate that there is the own-quantity flexibility for some primals differences by season with in the year. Additionally, it was determined that the own-quantity flexibility increased in magnitude (absolute value) over time for some of the primal cuts evaluated here. However, for Hams and Boston Butt the own-flexibility was either unchanged or increased over the period analyzed. Increased cold storage stocks for these primals may have been used to offset the price decline of 1998.