A Gravity Approach to Assess the Effects of Association Agreements on Euromediterranean Trade of Fruits and Vegetables

The paper is intended to draw on a gravity methodology to assess the impact of EuroMediterranean Association Agreement on Fruit and Vegetable trade from Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPC) to the EU. The Association Agreements appear to be significant as an explanatory of both fruit and vegetables’ trade flows to the EU. However, while the impact of such arrangements has contributed to boost MPC’s horticultural exports, it has not been sufficient to compensate the export loss related to the nature of MPCs as third countries. MPCs may have obtained gains from the EuroMed Agrements but the Barcelona process is still far to achieve its initial goals, at least concerning crucial products for the MPCs’ export strategy. The presented approach supplies a method to monitor future developments in the EuroMediterranean process.agricultural trade; Euro-Mediterranean agreements; fruit and vegetables

Modelling Euro-Mediterranean Agricultural Trade

This paper examines the methodological problems to define a modelling approach to assess the impact of full or limited bilateral liberalisation of agricultural trade flows in the Euro-Mediterranean region. The bilateral trade liberalisation process in the region is framed by complexity, in policy instruments and in the characteristics of the products, in particular fruits and vegetables. Advantages and disadvantages of the general equilibrium and partial equilibrium approaches to simulate trade policy impacts are assessed. Caveats of existing models are related to the representation of specific policy instruments (tariffs, entry prices and other non-tariff measures) and on the seasonal nature of horticultural trade, which is of major importance in the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Are. The paper provides an illustration of how an imperfect substitute product model could be helpful to describe the trade effects of bilateral price changes, for given seasons.

F&V Trade Model to Assess Euro-Med Agreements. An Application to the Fresh Tomato Market

The complexity derived from the bilateral trade liberalisation process in the Mediterranean region is difficult to represent in a trade model, not only because of the range of instruments still constraining trade but also because of the special nature of the most important traded goods (product differentiation and seasonality). Tariff-rate quotas (TRQ's) and the entry price system are clearly defined on a monthly basis for the fruits and vegetables trade flows towards the European Union (EU). This point makes efforts to model such a trade in yearly basis not representative of reality. We propose a static partial equilibrium model tailored to model trade impacts of specific policy instruments which considers imports from different sources as imperfect substitutes, following the non-linear Armington type model. Different policy scenarios have been run using the model, considering changes in TRQ's and Entry Price regimes, its tariffication and preference erosion. The results of model runs show that, as regards to EU producers, bilateral trade liberalisation with extension of TRQs would be the least dramatic scenario. By contrast, the phasing out of the entry price system would have serious consequences on EU producers. The model has also given detailed information on Morocco's interests in the negotiation, although it could easily include a larger number of suppliers. Morocco appears to be interested in multilateral liberalisation as well as in bilateral liberalisation. In fact, multilateral liberalisation will not cause a great deal of preference erosion against Moroccan exporters, unless tariff reductions only affect MFN suppliers.International Relations/Trade,

Las cooperativas en América Latina: visión histórica general y comentario de algunos países tipo

Latin American cooperativism is heterogeneous, like its roots and paths of development. During the XX century this situation has arisen starting from two basic co-operative types: financial co-operatives and agricultural ones. The article describes these processes, their endogenous and exogenous forces and the three levels of current development which are derived from them. These levels are illustrated through three typical countries: Argentina, Venezuela and Chile.Co-operatives, Latin America, history, types, promotion, problems, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile.

The Reform of the CMO in Fruits and Vegetables: A Holistic Approach

The main characteristics of EU's market in fruits and vegetables are trend towards overproduction, price fluctuations, and relatively low protection and public support. The key instruments of the CMO are processing aids and support to Operational Funds. The current regulation has been more successful in encouraging improvements in quality and marketing than in stabilising prices and guaranteeing adequate income levels, mainly in fruits and in the great southern countries. The lack of common European action in the fields of import control and access to new foreign markets creates more pressure in the common market. The proposal of CMO's reform comes after the great CAP's change of 2003 -and its new paradigm- and the budget agricultural agreement until 2013. In practice, this reduces the real policy options for the new regulation. Main changes should occur in processing aids, where forces to decouple are strong; given that exports refunds are already phasing out and markets withdrawals are in decline. The main political defy is how to promote horizontal concentration through PO and to avoid the price crisis. To solve the issue of stability (or decline) of the human consumption, more can be done from the policy. The farmer's influence in political decision seems weak. The scope for radical changes in fund distribution will be possible at national level.Agricultural and Food Policy, Marketing,

El Primer pas

Presentació del taller sobre consciència sostenible que es realitza a l'ETSAV.Peer Reviewe

Una interpretación de la medida del excedente económico en un contexto de economía abierta

This paper analyses the welfare significance of the producer and consumer surplus in a vertically structured and open sector. A theoretical analysis is developed to show that the overall welfare impact over a "big" country of introducing a distortion in some intermediate market is not accurately reflected by the sum of surplus are as in the directly affected market. Thus, the "big" country case is quite different from the "small" country and closed economy cases, for which a direct measurement is usually possible. Finally, the article discusses the validity of the partial equilibrium approach for a welfare analysis of spanish trade distortions in the new situation of Spain within the European Community.El presente artículo analiza el significado de las medidas de los excedentes del consumidor y del productor en el contexto de un sector estructurado verticalmente y abierto al exterior. Se demuestra que el impacto global sobre el bienestar de un país "grande" provocado por una distorsión en un mercado intermedio no es reflejado adecuadamente por las áreas relevantes del excedente medidas en el mercado doméstico directamente afectado. Ello contrasta con los casos de país "pequeño" y economía cerrada en los que la medición directa sí es usualmente posible. Finalmente, se discute la validez de la hipótesis de equilibrio parcial para un análisis de bienestar de las restricciones al comercio intemacional aplicado a España en su nueva situación de país miembro de la Comunidad Europea

Stigmatic Receptivity Limits The Effective Pollination Period In Kiwifruit

The effective pollination period was determined in kiwifruit [Actinidia deliciosa (Chev.) Liang and Fergusonl and the factors affecting it were evaluated. The effective pollination period, measured as the capability to set fruit after hand-pollinating flowers of different ages, was 4 days; 5 days after anthesis fruit set decreased and 2 days later it was nil. Pollen tube growth did not appear to he a limiting factor since pollen tubes grew quickly and reached the base of the style 2 days after pollination and reached the ovules 1 day later. Ovules appeared viable for the 7 days following anthesis, and visibly degenerated within the following 3 days. Stigmatic receptivity was determined by the ability to sustain pollen germination after hand pollinating flowers of different ages. The duration of stigmatic receptivity closely fit the effective pollination period determined through fruit set. Thus, it appears that stigma receptivity is the main factor responsible for the short effective pollination period

Contribución al estudio de las diatomitas del Perú

Los autores vienen estudiando desde el año 1986 las posibilidades de desarrollo industrial de las diatomitas peruanas. Dentro de este contexto se ha realizado un estudio comparado de las características físico-químicas y mineralógicas de las diatomitas procedentes de Bayó- var, Ocucaje y Ayacucho, con el objeto de determinar su verdadero valor comercial. Las diatomitas de los yacimientos de Bayóvar y Ocucaje deberán recibir un tratamiento de purificación, previo a su uso en la obtención de productos comerciales, por estar asociadas con cantidades variables de impurezas. Las diatomitas de Ayacucho son de mejor calidad, ya que poseen un alto contenido de sílice y un bajo nivel de contaminantes. Estas últimas podrían utilizarse en la elaboración de productos de alto valor agregado (ayuda filtrantes para la industria alimentaria y farmacéutica, síntesis de silicatos metálicos