Non-tariff measures a trade barrier for developing countries’ agricultural processed products exports

The paper analyses the trade barriers that thwart diversification efforts of developing countries into exports of value-added agricultural processed products. It examines the extent to which non-tariff measures act as market access barriers that constrain agricultural processed products exports from developing countries. The analysis shows that the prevalence of non-tariff measures (including domestic non-tariff measures) limit the ability of developing countries to increase their agricultural processed exports. This has important policy implications in terms of the emphasis that trade negotiators and policy planners should place on addressing non-tariff measures both in the domestic and foreign markets.