Measurement and patterns of world agribusiness trade

This brief highlights the importance of the agribusiness sector as a pillar for development. It provides a framework to measure internationally traded agribusiness and discusses some patterns of world agribusiness trade in recent decades. The share of traded agribusiness goods in world trade has remained fairly constant, while the value of world agribusiness trade has increased significantly. To account for the diversity within the agribusiness sector, it distinguishes between primary and manufacturing traded agribusiness. To proxy the degree of sophistication of the agribusiness trade, it considers the ratio of manufacturing to primary traded agribusiness goods. Whereas the share of primary agribusiness imports in total imports is small, manufacturing agribusiness imports play a more significant role, especially in low-income countries. Primary agribusiness exports are still a major component of total exports of goods in low-income economies.