Decades of conflict, affecting primarily rural areas, have taken their toll on Colombia’s agricultural sector. High fragmentation and rural poverty have stifled large-scale investments and prevented productivity gains, while a deficient transport and infrastructure network add to domestic production costs. In recent years, increased global...
In recent years Colombia has signed a number of free trade agreements (FTA), significantly expanding its access to new markets across the globe. The most recent, with South Korea, was signed in February 2013 and has yet to come into force. The agricultural sector is particularly sensitive to new FTAs and fears of the negative impact increased...
Despite lower international prices for some of Colombia’s key cash crops, the agriculture sector ended 2013 posting growth of 5.2%, higher than overall economic growth of 4.7%. Coffee’s 22.3% expansion made it the sector’s shining star in 2013. However, the various challenges the sector faces, in particular increased international competition as a result of a number of recent free trade...
Despite instability associated with the global mining and hydrocarbons sectors, Colombia displays stable economic growth amidst a regional slowdown, in large part a result of economic liberalisation, free trade agreements and entry to a variety of trade blocs. After recording 6.6% growth in 2011 and 4% in 2012, Colombia saw a slowdown in the first half of 2013, but the economy regained momentum by the end of the year.
While palm oil has come to dominate the Malaysian plantations sector in recent years, the country is also an important producer of a variety of other plantation crops. Indeed, for many years Malaysia has been one of the world’s leading rubber producers, while the country also has significant timber, cocoa, pepper, jathropa, kenaf (similar to...
Malaysia is a world leader in the production of crude palm oil (CPO) – and in its development not only as a food product, but as an alternative energy source, too. The commodity looks set for a year of higher prices and demand in 2014-15, with Malaysia plantation companies looking to spread acreage ever further afield. The palm oil industry is...
Stay updated on how some of the world’s most promising markets are being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and what actions governments and private businesses are taking to mitigate challenges and ensure their long-term growth story continues.
Register now and also receive a complimentary 2-month licence to the OBG Research Terminal.
Register Here×