Foreword

Since 2001, when the latest round of agricultural trade negotiations formally begun, there have been significant developments in both agricultural markets and to the use agricultural policies worldwide. Shifts have been observed in the relative importance of production centres and in price paths for a number of agricultural commodities. Trading patterns have also been altered. At the same time, governments across the world have pursued a wide range of different policies. There have been changing levels and types of support provided to agriculture across different regions. Access to markets has also changed. All these influences suggest that the impacts on markets, economies and households of current agricultural policies are likely to have also changed and with it, the nature and source of the gains from less distorted agricultural markets.