Trade in Agriculture and the Doha Round

Abstract

World trade in agricultural and agro-industrial products was $547 billion, or 9.1 per cent, of total merchandise trade in 2001. It increased marginally to $583 billion in 2002, or 9.3 per cent of total merchandise trade. Although trade in agricultural products has been increasing in absolute terms, its share of total world trade declined steadily during the twentieth century. Until now this trend has shown no sign of abating, which is logical and easy to comprehend. As a share of merchandise trade, trade in agriculture declined from 17 per cent to 10 per cent over the 1980–97 period.