Agricultural policies in Argentina.

Foreword
Acronyms
Executive summary
	Note
Chapter 1.  Assessment and policy recommendations
	1.1. A history of successful innovation against the odds
		Argentina is well-endowed with natural resources but has historically suffered from unstable policies that have hindered its economic performance
		Despite a difficult policy context, the agricultural sector has grown, driven originally by high commodity prices and then by innovation in oilseeds and grains
		New technological packages and organisational innovations have been massively adopted
		The business climate is unfavourable, with distorting export taxes and access to finance is difficult
		Environmental pressures are on the rise
		Outside the Pampas region, productivity is low and value chains are poorly developed
	1.2. Policy assessment
		Border measures – mainly in in the form of export restrictions – distort the economy, disadvantage farmers and do not benefit final consumers
		In the historical context of unstable macroeconomic policies, the lack of a framework agriculture law may have also contributed to sectoral policy uncertainty
		Budgetary payments to farmers are relatively small
		Agricultural policies in the General Services Support Estimate: Focus on innovation and animal and plant health
		The successful adoption of technological packages in the Pampas region was mainly driven by private initiatives
		Argentina has private insurance, futures and contracts to manage certain risks while ex post government disaster assistance is limited
		Limited access to financial services like credit is a constraint for the sector and cannot be solved by sectoral policies alone
		Argentinian agriculture has a dual structure, with high productivity value chains for grain and poorly developed value chains for regional economies
		The deterioration of statistical information is a burden for both the sector and policy design
	1.3. Policy challenges and recommendations
		The overall policy approach to agriculture needs to rebalance the policy package towards policy stability and sustainability
		Trade policies in the form of export restrictions have created negative price support, uncertainty and distortions
		Environmental pressures are growing, calling for strengthening the responsibility of producers in reducing negative externalities
		The Innovation system needs to modernise its institutions, monitor its results, refocus on environmental sustainability and make the IPR of seeds enforceable
		Market-based risk management tools exist, policies could also focus on improving preparedness and prevention
		Facilitating innovation and adjustment in the value chains and regions outside the Pampas
	References
	Notes
Chapter 2.  The context of Argentinian agriculture
	2.1. An economy marked by the strength of the agricultural exporting sector
	2.2. An upper-middle income country with high urban poverty
	2.3. Dynamic grain and oilseed production but other sectors lagging
	2.4. A changing export profile and participation in value chains
	2.5. The farming sector is dominated by big farms in the Pampas region
	References
	Notes
Chapter 3.  Agricultural policy framework and objectives
	3.1. A history of back and forths on trade openness
	3.2. Institutional arrangements
		Decentralised agencies
		Private institutions
	3.3. Overview of the main agricultural policy areas
		Support to producers
		General services to the sector
		Consumer measures
		Biofuel policy
	References
	Notes
Chapter 4.  Benchmarking agricultural policies: PSE results
	4.1. Introduction
	4.2. Unlike most other countries Argentina has negative producer support
	4.3. Most negative producer support is a reflection of highly distorting export taxes
	4.4. Support is provided to first buyers of primary agricultural products
	4.5. Argentina provides significant support for general services for agriculture
	4.6. Support to the agricultural sector as a whole is still negative
	References
Chapter 5.  Export taxes generate distortions  and negative support to the sector
	5.1. Introduction
	5.2. Export tax rates have been high and unpredictable
	5.3. Export taxes have been a significant source of revenue for the federal government
	5.4. Quantitative restrictions on exports created additional disincentives
	5.5. Export restrictions distorted production without controlling food inflation
	5.6. Import tariffs have played only a secondary role for agricultural commodities
	5.7. Overall policy assessment and recommendations
	References
	Notes
Chapter 6.  Innovation success and the need for modernisation
	6.1. Introduction
	6.2. Impressive productivity performance, but innovation duality
	6.3. The rapid adoption of a new technological package for crops
	6.4. The changing role of different actors in the national innovation system
	6.5. The National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA)
	6.6. Public and private investment in innovation
		Characteristics of the general innovation system
		Public expenditure on agricultural research
	6.7. Knowledge flows: Extension and entrepreneurship
	6.8. Intellectual Property Rights and international co-operation
	6.9. Overall policy assessment and recommendations
	References
	Notes
Chapter 7.  Sustainability of Argentina’s agricultural transformation
	7.1. Potential environmental impacts of the technological package for crops
		Overall assessment
		Herbicide tolerant GM varieties
		No-till practices
	7.2. Agri-environmental indicators reveal lower environmental pressures than in the OECD
		Fertiliser and pesticide use is on the rise
		Deforestation and biodiversity have been affected
	7.3. Potentially mild impacts of climate change on agriculture, but higher frequency of extreme events
	7.4. Agri-environmental policies
	7.5. Policy assessment and recommendations
	References
	Notes
Chapter 8.  Managing agricultural risks in a volatile environment
	8.1. Introduction
	8.2. Risk assessment
	8.3. Farmers’ strategies and retention of risks at farm level
	8.4. Risk transfer and pooling through markets and private arrangements
	8.5. Coping with catastrophic risks
	8.6. Managing plant and animal health
	8.7. Assessment and recommendations
	References
	Notes
Chapter 9.  Value chains in Argentina: Apples and pears, and viticulture
	9.1. Introduction
	9.2. The apple-and-pear value chain
		Description of the value chain
			Production
			Packing/processing and retailing
			Exports and competitiveness
		SWOT analysis and challenges of the value chain
	9.3. The viticulture value chain
		Description of the value chain
			Production
			Packing/processing and retailing
			Exports and competitiveness
		SWOT analysis and challenges for the value chain
	9.4. Policy assessment and recommendations on value chains
	References
	Notes
		Annex A. Main agro-industrial organisations in Argentina
		Annex B. Argentina’s main agricultural products
		Annex C. OECD indicators of support to agriculture
		Annex D. Argentina: Estimates of support to agriculture
Annex A. Main agro-industrial organisations in Argentina
Annex B. Argentina’s main agricultural products
Annex C. OECD indicators of support to agriculture
Annex D. Argentina: Estimates of support to agriculture