The application of trade and growth theories to agriculture: a survey

• Published in: The Australian journal of agricultural and resource economics Vol. 44; no. 4; pp. 505 - 542
• Main Authors: Berkum, S. van, Meijl, H. van
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK and Boston, USA Blackwell Publishers Ltd 01.12.2000
• Subjects: AGRICULTURA; Agricultural economics; Agricultural produce; AGRICULTURE; ALIMENTOS; COMERCIO; COMERCIO INTERNACIONAL; COMMERCE; COMMERCE INTERNATIONAL; Competition; CRECIMIENTO ECONOMICO; CROISSANCE ECONOMIQUE; decreasing costs; ECONOMIA NEOCLASICA; ECONOMIC GROWTH; ECONOMIC THEORY; ECONOMIE NEOCLASSIQUE; Economies of scale; firms; Food; FOOD PRODUCTION; FOODS; game-theory; Growth theory; Imperfect competition; import quota licenses; Inter-industry trade; International commerce; INTERNATIONAL TRADE; intra-industry trade; intraindustry trade; market; Marketing; Markets; NEOCLASSICAL ECONOMICS; Prices; PRODUCCION ALIMENTARIA; PRODUCTION ALIMENTAIRE; PRODUIT ALIMENTAIRE; r-and-d; TRADE; Trade theory; united-states
• ISSN: 1364-985X; 1467-8489
• DOI: 10.1111/1467-8489.00123

This article reviews a broad range of theoretical concepts available to explain international trade in agricultural and food products. For many years agricultural trade analyses were largely based on traditional perceptions of comparative advantage following neoclassical theory. Observations of agricultural trade suggest, however, that concepts from modern trade and growth theories are increasingly relevant. This survey demonstrates that many opportunities exist for applying these new theories to the modern food economy.