The possibilities and export opportunities of agricultural commodities in the Arab countries

Abstract

The Arab trade is highly important in the economic structure of all Arab countries through which Arab exports are exchanged and the dependence of the Arab countries on this trade to provide of its needs of goods and products that are not available locally. The problem of the study lies in the weakness of trade exchange between the Arab countries and this does not achieve the aspirations of the Arab countries towards strengthening political and economic relations. Therefore, the objective of the research is to study the development of the total trade, agricultural and inter-Arab trade exchange for the most important agricultural commodities and to identify the opportunities and export possibilities of the Arab agricultural trade. The results showed that the percentage of intra-Arab agricultural trade represented about 13.42% of the Arab agricultural trade. This shows the Arab countries' dependence on non-Arab countries to obtain their food needs. This requires Arab countries to make tough decisions that will increase their mutual cooperation to reach acceptable trade exchange rates. Intra-agricultural exports in vegetables, fruit and live animals accounted for more than 48% of inter-agricultural commodity exports. Inter- agricultural imports of live animals, vegetables and fruits were concentrated at 50% of the inter-agricultural commodities imports. Intra-grain exports can be increased by about 1143.07 thousand tons, intra-exports of oil seeds by 387.1 thousand tons, legumes by 139.37 thousand tons, tubers with 634.3 thousand tons, vegetables by 2069 thousand tons, fruit by 2449.7 thousand tons, which are exported to non-Arab countries, which are opportunities that can be investment to maximize intra-Arab trade. In conclusion, we recommend to increase the intra-exporting rate of grains, oily seeds, fruits, vegetables to the Arabic countries.