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Patterns of U.S. trade with the countries of Eastern Europe have changed dramatically since they began their transition from planned to market economies in the early 1990's. Traditional grain and oilseed markets in the region have shrunk, while exports of poultry and other high value products have increased. This trade will undergo a further shift as these countries accede to the European Union. ERS specialists analyze agricultural supply, consumption, trade, and policies of key countries in the region, with a particular emphasis on Poland and Hungary.
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Two new publications provide a comprehensive analysis of the economic forces behind the profound changes in agricultural production, consumption, and trade in the transition economies of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The first report—Changes in Agricultural Markets in Transition Economies—concludes that declines in output have been an inevitable part of market reform and that the main goal of agricultural policy in the transition economies should not be to return output to pre-reform levels but to increase the productivity of input use.
The second report—Livestock Sectors in the Economies of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union: Transition from Plan to Market and the Road Ahead—focuses on the livestock sectors of Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Poland and Hungary have emerged as the more successful reformers in the region, while the other three lag behind. The report identifies factors contributing to the relative success of Poland and Hungary, and points out institutional bottlenecks taht continue to prevent the livestock sectors of Russia, Ukraine, and Romania from reaching their potential.
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updated: May 7, 2002
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