GLOBAL TRENDS IN THE HORTICULTURE SECTOR:
USDA - Global trade patterns in fruit and vegetables
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/ers/WRS//2000s/2004/WRS-06-01-2004_Special_Report.pdf
USAID - Global horticultural assessment
http://caes.ucdavis.edu/IntProg/GHAPublication2005Web.pdf
World Bank - Global agricultural trade and developing countries
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTGAT/Resources/GATFrontMatter.pdf
CHANGING FOOD CONSUMPTION PATTERNS:
Another important aspect affecting trade in horticultural products is changing consumer tastes and habits, and shifting food consumption patterns. As people move towards healthier foods, more diverse foods and eating out more often, and as retail chains become increasingly globalised, so the food products being demanded also change. For more information on some of these concepts, please visit:
USDA - New directions in global food markets
www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aib794/aib794.pdf
MARKET POWER AND GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS:
http://library.wur.nl/frontis/agro-food_chains/18_van_der_meer.pdf
http://www.iatp.org/iatp/publications.cfm?accountID=451&refID=89014
http://hdr.undp.org/docs/publications/background_papers/2005/HDR2005_Brown_Oli_4.pdf
REGULATIONS, TARIFFS AND NON-TARIFF BARRIERS
Various regulations, including tariffs and non-tariff barriers, also affect trade in horticultural commodities a great deal. Some of the regulations that affect trade in fruit and vegetables can be explored at:
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/erssor/international/wrs-bb/2004/wrs0401.pdf
TECHNICAL ISSUES FACING THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY:
http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/5283/23207.pdf
REGIONAL MARKETS:Information on the US markets -
www.ers.usda.gov/publications/vgs/2006/12dec/vgs318.pdf
Information on the Chinese market -
www.ers.usda.gov/news/reportsummaries/err8_reportsummary.pdf
www.ers.usda.gov/publications/WRS0504/wrs0504.pdf
Information on Japanese markets -
www.ers.usda.gov/publications/vgs/oct02/vgs293-01/vgs293-01.pdf
SADC REGION:
An excellent starting point when exploring the SADC region is a document by USAID covering four countries in the SADC region – Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia: http://www.satradehub.org/CXA_html/docs/reports/Horticulture%20Road%20Map%20Report.pdf
Information about Zambia and the export prospects of High Value Agricultural Commodities:
www.intracen.org/sstp/Survey/exotic/exotzam.pdf
The survey mentioned above is part of a series that also include Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa:
http://www.intracen.org/sstp/agro_products_sds.htm
Information about Mozambique and the Beira Corridor and their fruit and flower production can be accessed at:
http://www.unido-aaitpc.org/unido-aaitpc/new1/mozambique/Beira%20Corridor.pdf
ORGANIC PRODUCE:
One of the fastest-growing sectors in international trade is organic produce, especially in the EU, the US and the more developed countries in Asia. Horticulture is particularly well suited to organic production, and consumers in the developed world have taken to organic horticulture more readily than other organic products. Below is a number of links to various websites and papers that discuss the markets for organic products.
For more information on organic fruit and vegetable production for developing countries and the potential for exporting such organic produce, the UN has prepared a comprehensive report:
www.unctad.org/en/docs/ditccom20032_en.pdf
For more information about organic produce that is specific to the Asia region, go to: http://www.biofachchina.com/main/IFOAM_Workshop_Local+Marketing+Initiatives.pdf?id=pdf-eefrj225&type=lib
The International Trade Centre (ITC) has an extensive library of articles on organic produce, standards and surveys of various countries’ markets. http://www.intracen.org/dbms/Organics/Library.asp?DS=96
For information about the organic produce market in the US and its higher price premiums, access:
www.ers.usda.gov/publications/vgs/may05/VGS30801/VGS30801.pdf
Information about organic food trends and price indexes in the US can be found at:
http://www.agmrc.org/agmrc/markets/Food/food+organic.htm
