Recent developments in marketing and pricing systems for agricultural export commodities in sub-Saharan Africa

This paper documents the difficulties various countries in sub - Saharan Africa have had with marketing and pricing systems, and shows how these systems have been caused or exacerbated by government controls. It documents the steps several countries have taken toward relaxing those controls and allowing more participation by private enterprise. Some general conclusions are drawn about the kinds of changes in parastatal marketing organizations that most effectively improve their ability to market crops efficiently and cope with changes in world prices. The paper classifies the predominant marketing and pricing structures for export commodities in sub - Saharan Africa, followed by a review of the problems these systems have faced in recent years. Recent developments in these systems are also described and analyzed.