The quiet revolution in agrifood value chains in Asia: The case of increasing quality in rice markets in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh—one of the poorest countries in Asia, where rice accounts for almost 70 percent of consumers' caloric intake—the share of the less expensive, low-quality coarse rice is shown to be rapidly decreasing in rice markets and the quality premium for the best-quality rice has been consistently on the rise in the last decades. It thus seems that the role of rice as only a cheap staple food is being redefined. The off-farm share in the final consumer price increases from 27 percent to 35 percent to 48 percent for low-, medium-, and high-quality rice, respectively, and the increasing demand for higher quality is thus seemingly associated with a more important off-farm food sector—in particular, milling, retailing, and branding—as well as a transformed milling industry. We further find that the labor rewards for and the technical efficiency of growing different rice qualities are not significantly different, and farmers do not benefit directly from consumers' increased willingness to pay for higher rice quality.Markets, milling, Quality, rice, value chains,

Trade Research Institutions in Asia-Pacific: Capacity-Building Needs in Developing Countries

The informal meeting of core Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT) research institutions organized by UNESCAP and IDRC in June 2004 in Bangkok highlighted the need for capacity building of research institutions from Least Developed Countries in the region. Llittle research or information is, however, available on what the needs of these research institutions are, their existing trade research capacity and how this differs across countries. This study sets out to address the key following issues: What are the existing trade research capacities of research institutions in LDCs and low-income developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region? What are their capacity-building needs in trade policy research?Research Capacity, LDCs

A review of development trends in the energy sector of Bangladesh

This is the second report under the CMI/NCG contract for strengthening the country-specific knowledge base of NORAD and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This energy review examines the gas and power sectors in terms of major actors, current and potential output, generation, transmission and distribution problems and the emerging policy regime. The main challenge for Bangladesh is how to provide electricity to domestic industry and households and broaden access to natural gas. Consumers are willing to pay for electricity, but are constrained by supply. Bangladesh has undertaken reforms in production by providing favourable treatment for international oil and power producers. Reforms in the distribution of energy have not been as effective. It is argued that the implementation of reforms has been slow because of stiff resistance from the bureaucracy, the officials of the concerned agencies and their trade unions. Gas is currently the only indigenous non-renewable energy resource in the country that is produced and consumed in significant quantities. The report discusses alternative options for the use of this resource (power production or gas export). The report also underscores the importance of coming up with a regional perspective on the use of energy resources

Instability in foodgrain production Causes, adjustments, policies; a case study of Bangladesh

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Lending Division - LD:D58517/86 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Food quality changes and implications: Evidence from the rice value chain of Bangladesh

In Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh—one of the poorest countries in Asia, where rice accounts for almost 70 percent of consumers’ caloric intake—the share of the less expensive coarse rice is shown to be rapidly decreasing in rice markets and the quality premium for the fine rice has been consistently on the rise in the last decades. It thus seems that the role of rice as only a cheap staple food is being redefined. The increasing demand for the more expensive varieties is seemingly associated with a more important off-farm food sector—in particular, milling, retailing, and branding—as well as a transformed milling industry. We further find that the labor rewards for growing different rice varieties are not significantly different and that farmers do not benefit directly from consumers’ increased willingness to pay for rice