Agricultural support policies in transition economies, Volumes 23-470

In the pre-reform period, agriculture was heavily subsidized in most Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs). Around 1989, most CEECs began to open up their markets, liberalize prices, and reduce subsidies. At the same time, the level of support provided to agriculture declined drastically. Since 1996, however, this trend has been reversed in most CEECs. To analyze the agricultural sector in CEECs, this report begins with a synthesis of the multi-country investigation. It presents estimates of various agricultural support indicators and an analysis of the impact of trade and price policy interventions. It also asks to what extent those adjustments provided for a more internationally competitive agricultural sector. The second part of the book presents individual country studies, including Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Germany and Turkey are included for comparison. This report will be of interest to agricultural policymakers and other government officials in the countries involved, EU officials, World Bank and FAO staff, and others interested in agricultural reform in Europe and Central Asia. This report presents the findings of a study which examined agricultural price and trade interventions, and their impact on farm income, consumers'real income, and the government budget for the period 1994-97 in Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Germany and Turkey were also included in the study for comparative purposes. The report begins with a synthesis of the multi-country investigation, presenting the authors estimates of various agricultural support indicators for the period beginning in 1994 until 1997, roughly corresponding to the second and most recent phase of the reform period. Second, it analyzes the impact of trade and price policy interventions and of government non-price-related subsidies on production incentives and on the net income of farmers. This chapter examines how and to what extent governments in transition economies intervened to support agriculture, and through which policy instruments. Third, this chapter asks to what extent the economic environment prevailing in 1994-97 provided an appropriate and sound basis for adjustment towards a more internationally competitive agricultural sector. The second part of the report presents a detailed discussion of the agricultural trade and price regime in each of the countries that prevailed in the period considered. A data file is available with the relevant annual data used for the analysis. This report presents the findings of a study which examined agricultural price and trade interventions, and their impact on farm income, consumers' real income, and the government budget for the period 1994-97 in Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Germany and Turkey were also included in the study for comparative purposes. The report begins with a synthesis of the multi-country investigation, presenting the authors estimates of various agricultural support indicators for the period beginning in 1994 until 1997, roughly corresponding to the second and most recent phase of the reform period. Second, it analyzes the impact of trade and price policy interventions and of government non-price-related subsidies on production incentives and on the net income of farmers. This chapter examines how and to what extent governments in transition economies intervened to support agriculture, and through which policy instruments. Third, this chapter asks to what extent the economic environment prevailing in 1994-97 provided an appropriate and sound basis for adjustment towards a more internationally competitive agricultural sector. The second part of the report presents a detailed discussion of the agricultural trade and price regime in each of the countries that prevailed in the period considered. A data file is available with the relevant annual data used for the analysis