Abstract

Increasing awareness of food safety issues has led to intensive use of sanitary, phytosanitary and quality-related regulations and standards, imposing a burden on exporting countries worldwide. This study assesses the impact of such regulations and standards estimating a gravity model for Chilean fresh fruit exports that incorporates a stringency-perception index that comprises different dimensions of trade requirements. Our results suggest that an increase in stringency has a negative and substantial effect on exported volumes, and the reduction is higher if stringency increases in developed countries. Results also showed that different dimensions have different effects on trade. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.