During the commodity price spikes in 2007-08 and 2010-11, several countries implemented temporary export restrictions on staple foods in an attempt to protect domestic consumers from rising and volatile prices. The impacts of these policies, however, are not limited to the countries that are...

Since 2001, Brazil has experienced a sharp increase in sugarcane production due to the upsurge in demand for sugar and ethanol, two products derived from sugarcane. While the increase in sugarcane production has led to income and employment opportunities in the sugar and ethanol sector, the...

More than 80% of global trade in grains and oilseeds occurs by maritime transport. This report provides an in-depth analysis of ocean freight rates during 2007-2021, examining their evolution, volatility, determinants, and how they influence port networks. Freight rates accounted on average for...

Trade in seeds is key to guarantee access to food across the globe. COVID-19 led to concerns that seed supply chains would be disrupted and that countries relying on imported seed would not have sufficient supplies for the upcoming season. Focusing on the impact of COVID-19 from the perspective...

In 2016, the People’s Republic of China removed its support prices for maize and started destocking its large public reserves of maize. This paper investigates what would happen if China were to also eliminate its support prices for rice and wheat and reduce its public stocks of these two...

Approval procedures are critical to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) systems as they uphold countries’ commitments to facilitate safe trade. However, they can create significant costs and act as non-tariff barriers if not properly administered. This report examines the costs and opportunities...

Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) have become the major route for countries to reduce trade barriers and open new markets. To fully assess the current state of market opening for agricultural products and examine the potential impacts of RTAs, access to up-to-date and consistent information on...

Remote audits enabled international food trade to continue despite the severe COVID-19 pandemic disruptions, but what is their role in the future? Based on case studies and an OECD survey, this report examines the cost, benefits and effectiveness of remote audits. The analysis reveals that key...