Oil and Food Prices in Bangladesh: A Linear and Non-Linear ARDL Analysis

Fluctuations in the oil price profoundly impact many other prices in the economy, as oil is used to produce numerous goods and services. While literature is ample regarding the linear relationship between crude oil prices and food prices, academic discussion on the presence of non-linear relationships is relatively evolving. This paper strives to explore the existence of both linear and non-linear relationships between crude oil price and food price in Bangladesh by employing the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and the non-linear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model, respectively. The ARDL model indicates that the crude oil price has a linear and positive impact on food price inflation in Bangladesh. The NARDL model finds no asymmetric relationship between the two variables in the long run. As a result, in the long run, the response of food price inflation in Bangladesh is the same whether oil prices increase or decrease. However, the NARDL model reveals that the change in oil prices asymmetrically impacts food price inflation only in the short run. These findings are essential for further study, and the results can be used for policymaking to ensure food security in Bangladesh.