Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage Research Articles

Growth and Export Performance of Pineapple from India: An Economic Analysis

The present study was undertaken to know the growth and export performance of pineapple. Pineapple (Ananas Comosus) is a tropical fruit belonging to the Bromeliaceae family, and it is commercially cultivated worldwide as a high-value crop. India is the sixth largest producer in the world. The objective of the study was to elucidate the growth and export performance of the Pineapple from India.The secondary data for analysis was collected from AGMARKNET, National Horticultural Board (NHB) and Agricultural and Processed Food products Export Development (APEDA). The results of the growth rate revealed a positive and increasing trend in pineapple exports from India during the study period, with an annual growth rate of 9.78 percent in quantity and 6.39 percent in value, which is significant at a five percent level of probability. The results of the Cuddy Della Valle index indicated that pineapple exports from India exhibit moderate instability, with values of 17.17 and 19.90 percent in quantity and value terms, respectively. It reveals that the average Nominal Protection Coefficient (NPC) value for pineapple was 0.53, indicating a moderate level of export competitiveness. Throughout the entire period, it is evident that India did not demonstrate competitiveness in pineapple exports, as indicated by the Revealed Comparative Advantage Index (RCA) values consistently being below unity and the Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) values being negative. The direction of the Indian pineapple trade was conducted using the Markov chain framework. Among the major importers, the United Arab Emirates stood out as one of the most stable markets with a high probability of retention at 0.624. Overall, Indian pineapple stands out as a reliable and competitive player in the global market, with a strong performance and potential for growth. Therefore, efforts should be focused on enhancing the quantity of exports while ensuring they meet the quality standards and align with the consumer preferences of other countries.

MEASURING THE COMPARATIVE AND COMPETITION OF INDONESIAN WOOD CHARCOAL EXPORTS IN THE SAUDI ARABIAN MARKET

Objective: This study examines the comparative and competitive export of wood charcoal in four potential countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, China, and Vietnam, in the Saudi Arabian Market with HS Code 4402. This study used annual data for nine years from 2014 - 2022, divided into three periods. Method: This study used the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) and concentration Ratio (CR), Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA), Export Product Dynamic (EPD), X-Model, and Trade Specialization Index (ISP) models to measure the wood charcoal industry in the Saudi Arabian Market. Result: The findings show that wood charcoal market in Saudi Arabia exhibits a strict oligopoly structure, with Indonesia and China dominating the market share. Indonesia emerged as the top supplier of wood charcoal to Saudi Arabia during for nine years. Malaysia showed the highest competitiveness among potential countries in certain periods. Overall, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, and Malaysia demonstrated strong competitive positions, with dynamic export growth, positioning them as "Rising Stars" in the market. These countries specialized as wood charcoal exporters to Saudi Arabia, reaching a mature stage in their market presence during the analyzed period from 2014 to 2022. Conclusion: This study concludes that Indonesia became the highest supplier with a market share of 53.51% and had a strong comparative advantage. Malaysia has the highest optimistic market development, followed by Indonesia, Vietnam, and China. Indonesia's wood charcoal competitiveness position remains in the Rising Star position. The Trade Specialization Index of four potential countries at this stage of maturation.

New Challenges and Opportunities of Indonesian Crude Palm Oil in International Trade

Indonesia is one of the largest palm oil producers in the world. The palm oil industry must look at the market competition map, starting from competing countries and other export opportunities to absorb palm oil products to increase state revenues. This paper analyzes the new challenges and opportunities for Crude Palm Oil (CPO) in Indonesia in international trade. Analytical tools were Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA), Dynamic Product Export and X-model Potential Export. The results showed that Indonesian and Malaysian palm oil commodities obtained an RCA value of more than 1 and an RSCA value of close to 1. Indonesia is more competitive than Malaysia. The X-model showed that Indonesian CPO market share optimism is only in India and the rest is less potent. Malaysian CPO market share also has less potential. Therefore, Indonesia’s new challenges are export tariffs, obstructed access, insufficient downstream production and a black campaign. The opportunity for participation in the CPO export market is only in India compared to Malaysia, which has less potential. The two countries have less potential in destinations such as the Netherlands, USA, China and Kenya. Indonesia can take external policies by establishing cooperation with export destination countries, such as trade agreements, so that information about Indonesian palm oil is well received. Meanwhile, internal policies strengthen domestic downstream industry policies, such as the food, health, and renewable energy industries, to strengthen the domestic economy and improve the welfare of Indonesian palm oil farmers.

Ekspor Teh Hitam Indonesia ke Jepang: Struktur Pasar dan Daya Saing

Indonesian tea export to international market is dominated by black tea. Japan becomes the black tea export destination with big untapped export potential, but has volatile export value, thus hinders the optimization of black tea export potential to Japan. This study aims to analyze the market structure and competitiveness as well as determine the Indonesian black tea market expansion to Japan. This study employs Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), Concentration Ratio (CR4), Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA), Export Product Dynamic (EPD), and X-Model Potential Export Products. The results show that the packaged and bulk black tea market structure in Japan is oligopoly. Indonesian bulk black tea gains comparative advantage, whereas Indonesian packaged black tea lacks comparative advantage in Japan market. Besides that, Indonesian bulk black tea has stronger competitive advantage over Indonesian packaged black tea. Furthermore, Indonesian bulk black tea is able to become the focus of export expansion to Japan at the moment.

Competitiveness Analysis of Pakistan’s Cotton Yarn Exports Relative to India and USA: A Demand System Application with Focuses on China’s Market

This study employed the revealed comparative advantage (RCA), revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) and Vollrath’s indices to measure Pakistan’s export competitiveness of cotton yarn in the world. Meanwhile, the country’s export competitiveness is evaluated using the comparative advantage by countries index in China, the world’s largest consumer of cotton yarn and Pakistan’s main export destination. Additionally, linear approximated almost ideal demand systems (LA/AIDS) is employed to anticipate the demand relations for exports of cotton yarn (Pakistan, India and the USA) in the Chinese market over the period 1991–2019. The value of RCA indices greater than one indicates that the country has comparative advantage in exports of cotton yarn in both the global and Chinese market. The findings also revealed that the nation’s comparative advantage position has decreased in global market while improved in the regional market of China. Furthermore, based on the approximation of restricted LA/AIDS model, the results affirmed that the exports of cotton yarn had high own-price sensitivity with negative signs, whereas cross-price sensitivity with positive signs. With regards to Pakistan’s exports, estimates of cross-prices indicate that China’s imports of yarn from Pakistan are substitutable for imports of yarn from India and the USA. In addition, the expenditure elasticity for India and US cotton yarn is greater than one, indicating that China viewed their exports of cotton yarn as quality good. On the other hand, the expenditure elasticity for Pakistan’s is less than one, but close enough to one, which reflects the cut-off point for exports of quality goods. Pakistan, therefore, needs to produce cotton yarn more efficiently by reducing costs and enhancing the reputation of quality to increase exports and market share.

Research on India-China agriculture trade dynamics: A comparative advantage analysis.

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the agriculture trade dynamic between India and China from 2002-2021. It employed the Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) and Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) indices and various statistical analyses to assess the trade performance and provide an enhanced comprehension of the specialization pattern. The study has selected 45 agricultural commodities, categorized into seven sections according to the HS Nomenclature 2017. The findings revealed that India boasts a more diversified export portfolio compared to China, with a more significant number of agriculture chapters demonstrating a comparative advantage. Conversely, China's export basket is more concentrated, featuring fewer chapters with a comparative advantage but higher values of RCA and RSCA. The paper also identified the prospective areas for agriculture-trade cooperation and collaboration between the two countries and put forward recommendations. This research aims to offer valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and traders to enhance bilateral ties and mutual benefits in the agriculture sector.

ANALYSIS OF THE POTENTIAL COMPETITIVENESS OF NATURAL RUBBER EXPORTS IN THE GLOBAL MARKET (COMPARATIVE STUDY IN ITRC COUNTRIES: INDONESIA, THAILAND, AND MALAYSIA)

The objectives of this study are 1) to find out how the potential competitiveness of Indonesian, Thailand, and Malaysian natural rubber exports in the global market compares in terms of their comparative advantages 2) to find out how the comparison of the effect of the exchange rate, production, and the international price of natural rabber on the competitiveness of Indonesian, Thailand, and Malaysian natural rubber export in the global market. The method used in this study is a quantitative method with Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) and Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) analysis tools to analyze the export competitiveness of Indonesian, Thailand, and Malaysian natural rubber based on their comparative advantage, and multiple linear regression with the ordinary least square (OLS) method. 1) The results of this study indicate that for Indonesia the average competitiveness of natural rubber exports is 0.9330, while Thailand is 0.9338, and Malaysia is 0.7763. 2) The results of multiple linear regression show that the exchange rate and production variables have no significant effect on the competitiveness of Indonesian and Thailand natural rubber exports, while the international price variable for natural rubber has a significant effect on the competitiveness of Indonesian and Thailand natural rubber exports. And for Malaysia, it shows that the three variables, the exchange rate, production, and international prices of natural rubber have a significant effect on the competitivenss of Malaysia’s natural rubber exports.
 
 Keywords: ITRC country’s natural rubber export competitiveness, Exchange Rates, Production, and International Price of Natural Rubber.

Wine international market structure and competitiveness

PurposeThis paper aims to analyse the wine market in relation to international competitiveness and international market structure.Design/methodology/approachTo describe the international market structure, this paper uses Herfindahl–Hirschman Index and Net Export Index to measure export competitiveness revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA). Finally, survival function analyses were developed using the Kaplan–Meier product-limit estimator to characterise the stability and duration of the competitiveness in the international wine market of each country and after they were grouped into Old and New World wine-exporting countries, and Wilcoxon and the Log-rank tests were used to compare the survivor functions.FindingsThe findings have revealed that the import market structure has remained unconcentrated, whereas the export market structure is moderately concentrated. Concerning trade characteristics, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, Portugal, Argentina, South Africa and Georgia are exporters. Austria is a trader (re-exporter), and the USA, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands are importers with strong domestic consumption. Regarding the RSCA, the New and Old World wine-exporting countries have high scores, specifically France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, Portugal, Argentina, South Africa and Georgia. However, the advantages have weakened for most of the countries analysed. Only a few Old World wine-exporting counties (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Georgia) have demonstrated stable comparative advantages over time. However, when grouped into Old World and New World, their survivor functions present little statistical differentiation during the period.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper is that it applies the industrial organisation and comparative advantage approaches to the wine international market, highlighting the top global players. The paper also makes valuable contributions to the wine literature by analysing the duration and stability of comparative advantage in the worldwide wine trade at a country level and comparing them grouped into Old and New World wine-exporting countries.

Analisis Komparasi Daya Saing Ekspor Arang Tempurung Kelapa ASEAN di Pasar Jepang

Japan stands as the largest importer of coconut shell charcoal products (HS 440290) globally, with a majority sourced from the ASEAN region. Despite being the foremost exporter of coconut shell charcoal, Indonesia faces fluctuating export values to the Japanese market. This variability indicates suboptimal exporting of Indonesian coconut shell charcoal due to raw material scarcity and unrealized export potential. This study aims to; (1) analyze the comparative competitiveness of coconut shell charcoal exports from ASEAN nations, including Indonesia, in the Japanese market from 2010 to 2021, (2) assess the competitiveness of coconut shell charcoal exports from ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, during the 2010-2021 period, (3) examine the potential for developing the Indonesian coconut shell charcoal export market compared to other ASEAN nations in Japan. The research employs the Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA), Export Product Dynamic (EPD), and X-Model analysis methods. RCA and RSCA analyses reveal Indonesia's comparative competitiveness in the Japanese market, alongside Laos and Malaysia. However, EPD and X-Model perspectives indicate Indonesian coconut shell charcoal is positioned behind Laos, the Philippines, and Vietnam, signifying lower market potential. The policy implication underscores Indonesia's export reliance on lower-quality coconut shell charcoal. To enhance export competitiveness, the Indonesian government might consider adopting strategies akin to Laos, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Indonesian Coconut Oil Export Opportunities with Main Trade Partner Countries in the International Market

This study examines the opportunities for trade administration of Indonesian coconut oil in major trading partner countries in terms of the development of area size, production and productivity of coconuts, competition in the marketing of coconut oil, and demand for coconut oil in the international market. The purpose of this research is to (1) develop of area, production, and productivity of coconut in Indonesia, (2) analysis of the competitiveness of Indonesian coconut oil in major trading partner countries, and (3) analysis of trend analysis of demand for Indonesian coconut oil in the international market. The data used in this research is secondary data from UN Comtrade for 25 years (1997-2021) and FAO for 61 years (1961-2001). The method used is to describe the development of a land area, production, and production of coconut in Indonesia and the development of demand for coconut oil in Indonesia in the international market. Revealed Comparative Trade Advantage (RCTA), Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA), and Trade Balance Index (TBI) analysis methods are used to determine the competitiveness of Indonesian coconut oil in the major trading countries. In addition, a product map is created based on changes in the competitiveness of Indonesian coconut oil products among the main trading partners. The results showed an increase in area, production, and production of coconuts annually. Indonesia has intense competition for coconut oil in its major trading countries. In addition, the demand for coconut oil in the international market will continue to increase due to the ever-increasing industrial needs. This is an opportunity to expand the coconut market share internationally.

COMPETITIVENESS OF INDONESIAN NON-HUMAN CONSUMPTION SEAWEED IN THE CHINA MARKET

China is the largest importer of seaweed globally, and Indonesia is one of the countries that exports seaweed to China. Other exporting countries such as Chile and Peru also supply seaweed to China. This study aims to analyze the competitiveness of Indonesian seaweed (HS 121229) in comparison to seaweed from other exporting countries and to investigate the demand for Indonesian seaweed and other seaweed-exporting countries in the Chinese market. The study utilized export data from exporting countries that supplied China's seaweed requirements between 2012 and 2021. Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) and Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) were used for data analysis. The findings revealed that Indonesian seaweed (HS 121229) has a comparative advantage in the Chinese market. However, Indonesian seaweed's comparative advantage is still lower than its competitors. The demand for Indonesian seaweed in the Chinese market is inelastic. Therefore, to increase Indonesian seaweed's export income, exports should be increased rather than lowering prices. To reinforce Indonesia's position in the Chinese seaweed market, Indonesia should collaborate with other exporting countries that complement Indonesia's efforts, such as Chile.

Growth, instability and comparative advantage in export of groundnut from India

Groundnut is the top exported commodity among the major oilseeds. India’s groundnut exports during 2021-22 stood at US$ 629.28 million. India’s major export destinations for groundnuts are Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Russia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Singapore, Iran, etc. An attempt was made through the present study to examine the growth, instability and comparative advantage in exports of groundnut from India. The results revealed that Groundnut exports to world registered highly significant growth rate of 16.09 % with high degree of instability of 36.11% per annum. Among the major destination highest growth were reported by Vietnam at the rate of 71.17 % followed by Thailand 55.18%, Russia 43.32%, Philippines 19.06%, Indonesia 13.51% etc. The instability in groundnut export was also shows high during the period. The study also calculated the comparative advantage among the major exporter of groundnut and revealed that India has highest comparative advantage among the major competitors. Because the value of revealed comparative advantage (RCA) and revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) was high in groundnut export by India among the major competitors. Highlights : India’s major export destinations for groundnuts are Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Russia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Singapore, Iran, etc., India has highest comparative advantage among the major competitors.

Fish and Fishery Products Trade by India: Trends, Competitiveness, and Comparative Advantage

This study analyzes the trends and determines the comparative advantage and competitiveness of India’s fish and fishery products trade in the world market and of India’s exports to 10 major destinations over the period of 2000–2021. We use the revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) index to quantify India’s comparative advantage in exporting fish and fishery products and the Vollrath index to measure the revealed competitiveness of the country’s fish and fishery products trade. We collected relevant data at Harmonized System (HS) four-digit level from the UN Commodity Trade (UN Comtrade) database. Our analysis shows that India has a revealed comparative advantage (RCA) in exporting fish and fishery products to the world market. Specifically, India has a comparative advantage in exporting frozen fish, crustaceans, and mollusks; but it has a comparative disadvantage in exporting live fish, fresh and chilled fish, fish fillets and other fish meat, and dried/salted/in-brine and smoked fish to the world market. In terms of individual destinations, India has RCA in exporting live fish to Hong Kong; fresh and chilled fish to UAE (in recent years); frozen fish to China, Hong Kong, Thailand (recent years), and Vietnam (recent years); fish fillets and other fish meat to Japan (recent years); dried fish to Hong Kong; crustaceans to Japan, the US, and Canada (recent years); mollusks to the EU, Thailand (recent years), and Vietnam (recent years); and other aquatic invertebrates to Vietnam. India has a comparative disadvantage (RCD) in exporting fresh and chilled fish to the EU, Japan, the US, and Vietnam, and fish fillet and other fish meat to the US, Canada, and Vietnam. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected India’s export, comparative advantage, and trade competitiveness of fish and fishery products. India’s RCA and competitiveness in exporting fish and fishery products decreased in 2018–2020, but the RCA and competitiveness increased by 2021.

동북아 역내 제조업의 글로벌 공급망 변화와 특징 분석

Purpose: This paper analyzes how the manufacturing supply chain has changed over the past 20 years according to the trilateral division of labor between Korea, China and Japan. Also, by measuring changes in the trade structure and competitiveness between Korea, China and Japan during the same period, the effect on the changes in the supply chain between the three countries is examined.
 Research design, data, and methodology: This study analyzes the trade structure, export competitiveness, and supply and distribution structure of 10 manufacturing industries in Korea, China and Japan. The analysis period was set from 2000 to 2020. The statistics use the UN Comtrade and the Asian International Input-Output Table. In the analysis of the trade structure between Korea, China and Japan. The Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) index was introduced to analyze the trade structure between Korea, China and Japan. And for the supply chain structure between the three countries, the Leontief inverse multiplier decomposition of the International Input-Output Analysis was used.
 Results: As a result of the analysis, it was observed that the supply chain of the manufacturing industry between Korea, China and Japan has changed to an interdependent structure since 2010, and the reason for this is that the production technology gap between the three countries has been greatly reduced. Accordingly, the supply chain of the manufacturing industry between the three countries has shifted from the past one-way dependence structure to a two-way dependence structure. In terms of industry, the deepening dependence among the three countries centered on electrical/electromechanical machinery, metal products, general machinery, chemical products, transportation machinery, precision machinery and textile products, which are key export industries for both Korea, China and Japan, means that the supply and distribution structure is being strengthened.
 Implications: Considering the relationship between the supply chain between Korea, China and Japan from 2000 to 2020, institutional integration, such as the trilateral FTA, is delayed, but functional integration is deepening due to interdependence and complementarity and increased production and trade. However, if trade frictions or disputes between Korea, China and Japan occur between specific countries, it is interpreted that this can lead to negative effects, so-called big losses, not only for the country concerned but also for the other country.

Comparative Advantage of Agricultural Trade in Countries along the Belt and Road and China and Its Dynamic Evolution Characteristics.

Trade is an important means to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Target 2.1 "Zero Hunger", and comparative advantage can be used to explain the causes and performance of trade. This study measures the static distribution of agricultural trade comparative advantage in countries along the Belt and Road (B&R) and China by utilizing the Balassa revealed comparative advantage (RCA) index, and further calculates its dynamic change by utilizing the revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) index and the ordinary least squares correlation analysis. The results show that: (1) in the face of multiple unfavorable factors, the initial comparative advantage of most agricultural products at Harmonized System (HS) 2-digit level in countries along the B&R and China deteriorated, simultaneously, but the initial comparative disadvantage of most and some agricultural products at HS 2-digit level in countries along the B&R and China improved, respectively; (2) the present agricultural trade comparative advantage in most countries along the B&R was higher than China and had a larger extent of change, but the current product structure of their bilateral agricultural trade was in line with each other's comparative advantage, indirectly proving the validity of the Heckscher-Ohlin theorem. Our research findings suggest that the agricultural trade comparative advantage in countries along the B&R and China need to be further utilized to improve agricultural trade performance and better play its important role in ensuring global, regional, and national food security.

The comparative advantages in the wooden furniture industry: does the export price matter?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the global competitiveness of the top ten wooden furniture exporting countries with several approaches and to test the effect of export prices (EXPRs) on the global competition.Design/methodology/approachCountries' competitiveness levels were measured with revealed comparative advantage (RCA), normalised RCA (NRCA), revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) and trade balance index. Furthermore, panel regression analysis techniques were used to test the effects of EXPR on RCA, NRCA and RSCA in the wooden furniture industry (WFI).FindingsAlthough the comparative advantage approaches give different results, the global competitiveness of Poland and Vietnam is at a high level in all approaches. Canada has been the country with the weakest global competitiveness in all approaches. According to the results of the analysis, EXPRs positively affect all the competitive advantage indexes. As a result, the competitiveness of the WFI is affected by the non-price factors instead of the EXPR.Research limitations/implicationsThe framework allows us to measure and illustrate the export competitiveness of the WFI and permits a global comparison. Similar analyses can be made for different labour-intensive sectors. In addition, analysis can be made to identify non-price factors for the WFI sector. Thus, more specific inferences can be made.Practical implicationsThis study is useful for policymakers, government officials, the industry associations and the company executives to assess their export competitiveness in the WFI. Thus, they can determine whether to shift scarce resources to this industry or other industries. In addition, this study may affect the price competition policy of the sector representatives in the global market.Originality/valueThis study deals with the competitiveness of the WFI with different approaches. And this study determines the importance of price for global competition in this sector.

Trade Competitiveness of Palm Oil Export from ASEAN Countries

Aims: To study the competitiveness, import intensity and structural break of palm oil exports from ASEAN member countries to the Indian market for the period 2000 to 2020.
 Data and Methodology: The relevant data was collected from UNCOMTRADE for the period of 21 years (2000 to 2020). The tools used for the analysis were Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA), Import Intensity Index (III) and Chow test.
 Results: The study revealed that Indonesia had lost its comparative advantage due to differential tariff rates imposed by India between Indonesia and its close competitor Malaysia. After 2011, the import intensity index clarifies that there was a gradual decrease in imports from Indonesia. However, Malaysia and Thailand showed an upward trend in import intensity index till the year 2018. After 2018, Singapore had an upward trend in import intensity. From chow test, there was a significant difference in importing palm oil from ASEAN countries to India before and after signing AIFTA (ASEAN- India Free Trade Agreement).
 Conclusion: Considering India’s demand for palm oil which is expected to double by 2030, so sustainable palm oil cultivation is recommended and a balanced approach should be taken to fix the tariff rate to protect domestic producers and refineries without compromising consumer demand.

Does intra-industry specialisation enhance or limit comparative advantage? Evidence from the world citrus fruit trade

In this paper, we aim to identify the intensity and nature of intra-industry specialisation in the global trade in citrus fruits. We used data from the United Nations Comtrade database. We performed both static and dynamic assessments of the intensity of intra-industry trade (IIT) by using the traditional Grubel-Lloyd index and the marginal IIT (MIIT) index, respectively. We also separated IIT into horizontal and vertical trade, and we verified the relationship between changes in the intra-industry pattern of trade and the level of comparative advantage gained by the largest producers and exporters of citrus fruits in the world. We used the revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) index to evaluate the level of international competitiveness. Conducting these analyses allowed us to fill the existing research gap by identifying the nature of IIT in products with specific quality characteristics but at a lower processing stage. The study's results indicated that the stronger the IIT or the more intensive shifts toward deepening the intra-industry specialisation, the lesser the comparative advantage of a country in the global export of citrus fruits. Nevertheless, the increased intensity of intra-industry specialisation does not always lead to a deterioration in the value of the trade balance.

Analyzing relative export competitiveness of Indian agricultural food products: a study of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables

PurposeGiven the dominant share of India in global production of fruits and vegetables, this paper intends to analyze the export competitiveness of India and other major food exporters in the world trade. The purpose of this study is to examine export structure, substitutability and complementarity of selected fresh and processed fruits and vegetables of top ten food exporters for the period 2010-20.Design/methodology/approachBalassa’s (1965) revealed comparative advantage (RCA) index was used to measure RCA indices of selected fruits and vegetables under study. Also, revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) and normalized RCA (NRCA) indices have been calculated. Further, Spearman rank correlation coefficients were computed to analyze changes over the study period for India and other competing countries. The export data have been sourced from UN Comtrade, an electronic database of United Nations, as well as World Trade Statistical Review, a database of World Trade Organization. The analysis was undertaken at Harmonized System (HS) four-digit classification for the period 2010-20.FindingsThe results disclosed an improvement in India’s comparative advantage over the period of 2010-20 in HS 07 product category, whereas the advantage ceded to other competitive nations in HS 08 product category. Further, Spearman rank correlation coefficients revealed that India faces competition from countries like China, Indonesia, Brazil, Thailand, Argentina and European Union for HS 07 product category, while countries like Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil and Thailandare the major competitors of India in HS 08 product category.Originality/valueThe paper expands the existing agricultural trade literature in three ways. First, it is one of the very few studies that have analyzed RCA for Indian fresh and processed fruits and vegetables using three different types of indices, namely, Balassa’s RCA, RSCA and NRCA. Second, the authors provide a number of comparisons related to RCA for Indian fruits and vegetables with other top food exporters in the world for a period of 10 years (2010-20). Third, the authors contribute to agricultural trade literature by assessing the substitutability or complementarity of India in the export of fruits and vegetables with other competing nations by using Spearman rank correlation coefficients.

Examining export advantages in Indian horticulture: an approach based on product mapping and seasonality

PurposeThe present study provides evidence on export advantages of horticultural commodities based on competitiveness, trade balance and seasonality dimensions.Design/methodology/approachThe study delineated horticultural commodities in terms of comparative advantage, examined temporal shifts in export advantages (mapping) and estimated seasonality. Product mapping was carried out using the Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) and Trade Balance Index (TBI). Seasonal advantages were examined through a graphical approach along with the objective tests, namely, modified QS-test (QS), Friedman-test (FT) and using a seasonal dummy.FindingsCucumbers/gherkins, onions, preserved vegetables, fresh grapes, shelled cashew nuts, guavas, mangoes, and spices emerged as the most favorable horticultural products. India has a strong seasonal advantage in dried onions, cucumber/gherkins, shelled cashew nut, dried capsicum, coriander, cumin, and turmeric. The untapped potential in horticulture can be addressed by handling the trade barriers effectively, particularly the sanitary and phytosanitary issues, affecting the exports. Proper policies must be enacted to facilitate the investment in advanced agricultural technologies and logistics to ensure the desired quality and cost effectiveness.Research limitations/implicationsCommodity-specific studies on value chain analysis would provide valuable insights into the issues hindering exports and realizing the untapped export potential.Originality/valueThere is no holistic and recent study illustrating the horticulture export advantages covering a large number of commodities in the Indian context. The study would be helpful to the stakeholders for drawing useful policy implications.