This study examines the pattern of government intervention in the agricultural markets of the six largest economies in Latin America during 1982-87. Producer and consumer subsidy equivalents (PSE/CSE's) are used to summarize the effects of a wide range of commodity, sector, and economy-wide policies that can be compared across commodities, across countries, and across time. Six chapters provide background material on the economy and policies of each country along with documented subsidy equivalent estimates. During 1982-87, Latin American policymakers abandoned the statist approach to development, but adhered to import-substitution strategies, which required some government intervention. In addition to commodity specific and/or sectoral policies, economy-wide measures -- particularly exchange rate policies -- had a decided effect on transfers to and from the agricultural sector in all six countries.

This study examines the pattern of government intervention in the agricultural markets of the six largest economies in Latin America during 1982-87. Producer and consumer subsidy equivalents (PSE/CSE's) are used to summarize the effects of a wide range of commodity, sector, and economy-wide policies that can be compared across commodities, across countries, and across time. Six chapters provide background material on the economy and policies of each country along with documented subsidy equivalent estimates. During 1982-87, Latin American policymakers abandoned the statist approach to development, but adhered to import-substitution strategies, which required some government intervention. In addition to commodity specific and/or sectoral policies, economy-wide measures -- particularly exchange rate policies -- had a decided effect on transfers to and from the agricultural sector in all six countries.

Analysis of price intervention; The output effects of price intervention; Resource transfers and budget effects; Income distribution effects; Some reflections on the political economy of price intervention.