稻米貿易自由化的回應

Alternative Approach toward Rice Import Liberalization

施順意(Shun-Yi Shei)

《臺灣經濟預測與政策》 33卷1期 (2003/03) Pp. 25-40

https://doi.org/10.29629/TEFP.200303.0003

摘要

台灣在開放稻米進口問題上所採行的政策回應是強化水旱田利用調整，亦即增加休耕面積。水旱田利用調整計畫主要是處理短期米價穩定的問題，而忽略其長期的一般均衡後果。不採取其他調整方案的一個可能解釋是缺乏其他方案的長期效果評估。針對此點，本文探討一個調整方案，以採取稻米關稅化來處理台灣稻米進口自由化的挑戰。文中討論在假設一系列調降關稅稅率下對稻米價格、政府支出、關稅收益的效果。關稅化與關稅稅率調降引發稻農所得的損失，預期將由納稅者分攤。因之，本文提出一個所得補償的設計，包括對物、對地與對人的補償。對物的補償包括所得直接給付取代保價收購以及穀價穩定機制；對地補償將依據休耕地對資源與環境的貢獻而非稻米的價格與產量；而對人的補償將依據稻農的年齡與調整能力。此一所得補償機制在實施的第一年需191億元，相當於目前的稻米政策支出，但在15年後所需的經費將降至106億。關稅化與關稅稅率的調降將迫使穀價與耕地地租隨之下滑，引發農場合併與擴大的契機而強化稻米生產的國際競爭力。

關鍵字

水旱田利用調整計畫 ； 關稅化 ； 所得補償設計

並列摘要

The paddy and upland fields utilization adjustment program, similar to commonly known land set aside program, was revised and extended to year 2004 in order to cope with the challenge of rice import as Taiwan becomes a member of WTO. This adjustment program deals mainly with the short term rice price stabilization issue and ignores its detrimental long term consequences. One rationale for not considering alternative approaches might be simply because useful knowledge on the long term gains of alternative programs are lacking. This short article addresses one of the alternative approaches, the tariffication of rice import, in dealing with Taiwan’s rice import liberalization issue. The paper discusses the scenario of a series of tariff reductions and evaluates its impacts on rice price, government expenditure and tariff revenue. Tariffication will incur substantial income loss to rice farmers and the tax payers are expected to share some of the loss. Therefore, the paper proposes an income compensation scheme which includes direct and indirect subsidies to rice commodity, land subsidy based on resource and environment contribution to the society, and farm wage subsidy based on farmer's age and ability to adjust. This scheme costs 19.1billion NT dollars in the first year, roughly equals to the amount of current rice programs, and falls subsequently to 10.6 billions after 15 years. The downward adjustments of rice price as well as farm land rent in the processes of tariffication and tariff reductions provide an opportunity for farm consolidation and enlargement, and enhance long term competitiveness of rice production.

並列關鍵字

paddy and upland fields utilization adjustment program ； tariffication ； income compensation scheme

參考文獻

張靜貞 Chang, Ching-Cheng、 傅祖壇 Fu, Tsu-Tan、 李元和 Lee, Yuan-Ho、 施順意 Shei, Shun-Yi(2001)。加入WTO後稻米產業的危險與機會。自由中國之工業 Industry of Free China。91(2)

張靜貞 Chang, Ching-Cheng、 傅祖壇 Fu, Tsu-Tan、 李元和 Lee, Yuan-Ho、 施順意 Shei, Shun-Yi(2001)。台灣加入WTO後稻米政策的調整－市場導向與非市場導向的經濟分析。自由中國之工業 Industry of Free China。91(7)

陳文德 Chen, Wen-Te、 鄭綉鶯(2001)。水旱田利用調整後續計畫內容簡介。農政與農情 Agriculture Policy & Review。108