INTENSITY AND EVOLUTION OF NON-TARIFF BARRIERS ON AGRICULTURA GOODS BETWEEN BRICS COUNTRIES (1995-2018)

Abstract

This paper analyzed the evolution, structure and intensity of non-tariff measures (NTMs) affecting the trade of agricultural products between the countries that make up the BRICS in the period from 1995 to 2018. The motivation lies in the importance that the NTMs have acquired after the years 70, mainly on agricultural products that, in general, are in the main activity of emerging countries. However, the literature presents a gap by not offering a quantitative analysis of NTMs in intra-BRICS trade. The frequency and coverage indicators and the prevalence score were the instruments used. The results show that the import of intra-group agricultural products has an incidence of NTMs greater than 90% at the end of the analyzed period, with Brazil and China reaching 100% for all product groups. The incidence increases in the period after the start of multilateral cooperation. While NTMs increase, agricultural imports are reduced by all countries, except for China. Cooperation in the agricultural market does not seem to translate into more friendly regulations and is fragile in terms of volume of trade.

Keywords

• agribusiness
• brics
• coverage
• frequency
• non-tariff measures