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Changing market structures and globalisation of food markets as well as a growing range of consumer concerns are increasing the complexity of policy making. OECD analysis attempts to clarify the issues and inform policy makers in these areas so as to improve their decision making capacities.
The impacts of retailer concentration on producers continues to be of concern to policy makers . Empirical analyses of retailer market concentration and its impact on meat producers was an attempt to shed light on the operation of the supply chain and the magnitudes of these effects.” Surveys on farmer contracts with different downstream agents are underway and may help clarify the links between producers and downstream agents.
OECD is exploring new avenues in value creation for the agri-food sector be they in food or non-food areas. Increased consumer concerns for sustainable products and processes may offer new opportunities for agricultural producers to access high value markets and more importantly stimulate growth and employment. This requires R&D to identify bio based solutions as well as innovative organizational, financial and marketing structures to exploit these opportunities. What role for policy in promoting new initiatives which can enhance growth and employment in rural areas? Should it be a an entirely private undertaking or can public-private sectors collaborate to broaden the growth base? Case studies based on public and private initiatives in different OECD countries should provide policy makers with array of approaches to meet this challenge.
Private voluntary standard schemes are often in response to institutional and regulatory frameworks as well as consumer pressures to ensure safe, quality food no matter from where it is sourced. Through interviews with lead retailers the OECD has examined key determinants of their expansion and future prospects ”Private voluntary standards and the evolving agro-food system “ Surveys of exporters and producers in developing countries helped to understand the constraints at the individual and macro level of compliance as well as identify some key success factors in meeting private standards and integrating Global Value Chains.
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