Cotton : Market Setting, TradePolicies, and Issues

Baffes, John

World Bank, Washington, D.C.

关键词: ACRYLIC;    AFRIQUE CENTRALE;    AGRICULTURE;    ANIMAL;    APPAREL;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-3218
RP-ID  :  WPS3218

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

The value of world cotton production in2000-01 has been estimated at about $20 billion, down from$35 billion in 1996-97 when cotton prices were 50 percenthigher. Although cotton's share in world merchandisetrade is insignificant (about 0.12 percent), it is veryimportant to a number of developing countries. Cottonaccounts for approximately 40 percent of total merchandiseexport earnings in Benin and Burkina Faso, and 30 percent inChad, Mali, and Uzbekistan. Its contribution to GDP in theseand other developing countries is substantial, rangingbetween 5 and 10 percent. Cotton supports the livelihoods ofmillions in developing countries (at least 10 million inWest and Central Africa) where it is a typical, and oftendominant, smallholder cash crop. The cotton market also hasbeen subject to considerable marketintervention-subsidization in the European Union and theUnited States, and taxation in Africa and Central Asia.During the past three seasons, annual direct supportaveraged $4.5 billion. The author reviews the market settingand policy issues and gives recommendations on howindustrial and developing cotton-producing countries canimprove the policy environment.