Certification in the value chain for fresh fruits: the example of banana industry. FAO Commodity Studies No. 4
Certification to voluntary standards is increasingly used by banana producers and exporters worldwide. This report deals with voluntary certification schemes, with a particular focus on those that use an on-product label targeting consumers and have the potential to generate a price premium. The report describes the main patterns of international trade in certified bananas and examines the market situation and prospects of certified organic and fair-trade bananas. [ more... ]

Private standards in the United States and European Union markets for fruit and vegetables. FAO Commodity Studies No. 3.
This report gives an overview of standards and certification programmes relevant for fruit and vegetable producers and exporters in developing countries with a focus on the markets of the United States and the European Union. In addition, it gives an overview of current analytical work on standards and trade, reviews major assistance programmes related to standards and provides recommendations for further research. [ more... ]

Issues in the Global Tobacco Economy. FAO Commodity Studies No. 2.
This is the second of two volumes to be published from the FAO project Tobacco Supply, Demand and Trade by 2010: Policy Options and Adjustment, which was supported by the Government of Sweden through its development agency SIDA. [ more... ]

The World Banana Economy 1985-2002. Pedro Arias, Cora Dankers, Pascal Liu, Paul Pilkauskas.FAO Commodity Studies No. 1.
The volume of bananas exported worldwide in the period 1985-2002 grew at an unprecedented average annual rate of 5.3 percent; twice that of the previous 24 years. This expansion was accompanied by major developments in the world trade situation. This publication reviews the impacts of these events on the world banana economy. It is the first of a series of FAO Commodity Studies that focus primarily on themes relating to individual commodities or commodity groups. [ more... ]