Trade Pessimism and Regionalism in African Countries: The Case of Groundnut Exporters

摘要

The contribution of groundnut production, processing, and trade to the development of the African Groundnut Council (AGC) member economies during the first decades after their independence has been vital. The report investigates the concerns related to developments on international markets, on the one hand, and the potential of regional markets to contribute to the rehabilitation of the groundnut industry in AGC countries, on the other hand. The sources of the decline of groundnut trade in AGC countries are analyzed using data from The Gambia, Senegal, and Sudan--the member countries that have consistently exported throughout the study period. Despite stable world demand for groundnut oil, AGC exports have fallen by more than two-thirds since the late 1960's while other developing Asian and South American exporters have nearly quadrupled their market shares. (Copyright (c) 1994 International Food Policy Research Institute.)