Who Are the Net Food Importing Countries?

The purpose of this paper is to update the information on net food importing countries, using different definitions of food, separating countries by their level of income, whether they are in conflict and whether they are significant oil exporters....

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors:	Ng, Francis, Aksoy, M. Ataman
Format:	Policy Research Working Paper
Language:	English
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2012
Subjects:	AGRICULTURAL POLICIES AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BALANCE OF PAYMENTS BASIC NEEDS BRAN BUTTER CALCULATIONS CEREALS CHEESE CHOCOLATE COCOA COMMODITIES COMMODITY CONFECTIONERY CONTRIBUTION CORN CREAM DAIRY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES DEVELOPING COUNTRY DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS DOMESTIC MARKETS DRIED FRUITS ECONOMIC GROWTH ECONOMIC POLICY ECONOMICS RESEARCH EGGS EXPORT COMMODITIES EXTRACTS FEEDS FLOUR FOOD AID FOOD CROPS FOOD EXPORTS FOOD FOR ALL FOOD IMPORTS FOOD NEEDS FOOD POLICY FOOD PRICE FOOD PRICES FOOD PRODUCTION FOOD PRODUCTS FOOD REQUIREMENTS FOOD SECURITY FOOD SUBSIDIES FOOD SUPPLY FOOD SURPLUS FOODS FROZEN FISH FRUIT FRUITS GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM GLOBAL ECONOMIC PROSPECTS GRAINS HONEY IMPORT INCOME INCOME GROUP INDUSTRIAL COUNTRIES INTERNATIONAL LAW INTERNATIONAL TRADE LDCS LIBERALIZATION LOW-INCOME LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES LOW-INCOME COUNTRY LOW-INCOME GROUP LUMP SUM MAIZE MEAL MEAT MEATS MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRY MOLASSES NET EXPORTS NUTS OATS OIL EXPORTER OIL EXPORTERS OIL EXPORTING COUNTRIES OILS AND FATS PEANUT OIL PRICE INCREASE PRICE INCREASES PRICE LEVELS PRICE VOLATILITY PROCESSED FOODS PRODUCT MARKETS REFORM PROGRAM RELATIVE PRICES RICE RUBBER SEAFOOD SMALL ECONOMIES SMOKED MEAT SPICES SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA SUGAR SUGARS SURPLUS COUNTRY SURPLUSES TAX TEA TOTAL IMPORTS TRADE BALANCE TRADE BALANCES TRADE DATA TRADE DEFICIT TRADE DEFICITS TRADE EXPANSION TRADE LIBERALIZATION TRADE POLICIES TRADE POLICY TRADE REFORMS TRADE REGIMES TRADE STATISTICS TRADE SURPLUS TRADE SURPLUSES TRADING SYSTEM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TUBERS URUGUAY ROUND VALUABLE VEGETABLES WHEAT WORLD DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS WORLD ECONOMY WTO
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2008/01/8912463/net-food-importing-countries http://hdl.handle.net/10986/6454

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Summary:	The purpose of this paper is to update the information on net food importing countries, using different definitions of food, separating countries by their level of income, whether they are in conflict and whether they are significant oil exporters. The study also estimates the changes in net food importing status of these countries over the last two and a half decades, and, most important, the study measures the relative importance of these net food imports in the import basket of the countries. Our results show that while many low-income countries are net food importers, the importance and potential impact of the net food importing status has been highly exaggerated. Many low-income countries that have larger food deficits are either oil exporters or countries in conflict. Food deficits of most low-income countries are not that significant as a percentage of their imports. Our results also show that only 6 low-income countries have food deficits that are more than 10 percent of their imports. Last two decades have seen a significant improvement in the food trade balances of low-income developing countries. SSA low-income countries are an exception to this trend. On the other hand, there are a group of countries which are experiencing civil conflicts which are large importers of food, and these countries can not meet their basic needs. They also need special assistance in the distribution of food within their boundaries. Therefore, one should modify the WTO Ministerial Declaration, and focus on these conflict countries rather than the broad net food importers.

Who Are the Net Food Importing Countries?

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