Former book of the month for July 2003

Page date:1 August 2003

Of the ten Central and Eastern European countries that have applied for membership in the European Union, Romania ranks among the largest and most impoverished. Romania represents the final challenge in the European Union's enlargement to the east, largely due to its major, but underdeveloped, agriculture and food sectors. The agriculture industry, which is a major component of the national economy, extends its pervasive influence to both Romanian social life and environment. Consequently, the transition towards a market oriented economic system will pose new obstacles for the country's farmers, processors, traders, and policymakers. While identifying the impediments that surround Romanian agriculture and its inevitable progression towards transition is a simple task, the challenges lie in recommending solutions. Through careful analysis of numerous recent studies on reform policies in the Romanian agri-food sector during its economic transition, this comprehensive examination offers perspicacious suggestions and insights on the following topics in particular: international trade, credit for agricultural development, price policies, and rural development. The conclusions reached are not only of domestic importance and application, they are also of immediate relevance for many post-socialist countries, for which the agri-food sector is a principal vehicle for rural development.

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Table of Contents

Figures

Tables

Preface

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

1. The Context of Reform and Accession
Kenneth J. Thomson

2. Agricultural and Trade Policies
Sophia Davidova and John Lingard

3. The Growth of Individual Farming in Romania
Marian Rizov and Johan F.M. Swinnen

4. Rural Credit for Individual Farmers: A Survey Analysis of Rural Financial Markets
Junior R. Davis, Gertrud Buchenrieder, and Kenneth J. Thomson

5. Credit for Emerging Commercial Farmers: A Survey Analysis
Christine Coulomb and Sophia Davidova

6. A Model of the Impacts of Agricultural Policies on Farm Incomes
Nigel Williams, Paul Hill, and Adriana Cristoiu

7. Price Stabilization Policies in the Romanian Wheat Market
Paul Webster, Lionel Hubbard, John Lingard, and Adriana Critoiu

8. The International Competitiveness of Romanian Agriculture: A Quantitative Anaylsis
Matthew Gorton, Dinu Deaconescu, and Dan Petrovici

9. The Impact of the Association Agreement between Romania and the EU on Romanian Agriculture
Marc Duponcel

10. Rural Development and Pre-Accession Strategy for Romanian Agriculture
Graham Dalton, Bill Slee, and Kenneth J. Thomson

11. Modeling the Economic Costs and Benefits of EU Acession
Kenneth J. Thomson

12. WTO Commitments and CAP Adoption in Romania: Model Results
Sophia Davidova, Daniela Giurca, Mirela Rusali, and Lionel Hubbard

13. Conclusions: Knowns, Unknowns, and Possibilities
Kenneth J. Thomson