Agricultural trade structure, disruptions, and competitiveness in Latin America and the Caribbean

Piñeiro, Valeria; Gianatiempo, Juan Pablo; Rueda, Jorge; Mesquita Moreira, Mauricio

Agricultural trade structure, disruptions, and competitiveness in Latin America and the Caribbean

Autores

Piñeiro, Valeria

Gianatiempo, Juan Pablo

Rueda, Jorge

Mesquita Moreira, Mauricio

Editor

International Food Policy Research Institute
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Descripción

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has a central position in global agricultural trade, both as a major exporter of staple commodities and as a region increasingly exposed to shifts in global demand, trade policy, and geopolitical fragmentation. Recent developments show that agrifood trade is no longer shaped primarily by gradual liberalization or isolated tariff disputes. Instead, it is being reshaped by a more complex environment in which higher tariffs coexist with selective application, exemptions, and preferential treatment. A key insight emerging from recent trade shocks is that markets can adjust, but adjustment increasingly takes place through the reallocation of trade flows rather than through smooth prices or production responses. This has important implications for LAC, where trade is often concentrated around a limited number of products and destinations. As adjustment costs rise, outcomes depend less on aggregate performance and more on structural characteristics such as diversification, bargaining power, and institutional capacity. Against this backdrop, the chapter situates LAC’s experience within the broader global debate, emphasizing the need to align national and regional strategies with a changing global trade landscape.