Trade Restrictions in International Grain and Oilseed Markets: A Comparative Country Analysis

摘要

State trading practices and variable levies, which protect administered price levels set in importing countries, as well as tariffs, taxes, quotas, bilateral agreements, and other policies, tend to restrict the level of competition in international markets. In addition, many exporting countries implement similar types of policies that restrict or subsidize exports. Quantitative estimates of the degree of protection provided by trade and domestic policies of 18 major importing and exporting countries indicate that wheat and rice markets are the more heavily protected, followed by corn and soybeans. The importance of nontariff barriers in wheat, rice, and corn markets indicates difficulty in enhancing competition in these markets.