The agricultural sector in many OECD countries continues to be characterised by high levels of support and protection. Support to agricultural producers accounted for 32% of total farm receipts -- a slight increase from 2002, but down from 37% from the late 1980s. Progress in reducing the level of market price support and outpayments is notable with the share of the most production and trade distorting forms of support continuing to decline from over 90% in the late 1980s to 75% in 2003. But this is still too large a share that it continues to distort production and impedes the trade of agricultural commodities on the world market. Agricultural policies continue to impose unnecessary costs on domestic consumers and taxpayers, penalise competitive suppliers, including those in developing countries and put a strain on the environment.

This book is a unique source of up-to-date estimates of agricultural support in OECD member countries. It provides the most comprehensive description and assessment of policy developments in these countries and contains a special section on the agricultural support in two non-member countries -- Russia and the Ukraine.

OECD Agricultural Policies was previously published annually under the title Agricultural Policies in OECD Countries. OECD Agricultural Policies : At a Glance will be published every other year, alternating with OECD Agricultural Policies: Monitoring and Evaluation.

No. pages: 140

Price: €28.00, US$35.00

Buy from the Online Bookshop