Analysis of Agri-Food Trade Structures
To Promote Agri-Food Trade Networks
In the Islamic Countries
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Figure 20 shows a similar analysis for the Arab Group. Imports from outside the OIC were again
dominant in 2005, although there were some important instances of intra-regional trade, such
as bread products, live animals, and fish and crustaceans. Similarly, the Asian Group played a
large role as a source of imports of palm oil and rice. This pattern was accentuated over the
following decade, so that imports from outside the OIC were generally dominant in 2016. There
were still important instances of intra- and inter-regional trade within the OIC, but the general
trend was towards greater import sourcing from outside the organization’s membership. As in
the case of exports, this dynamic is driven by linkages with neighboring regions, particularly the
EU, as well as patterns of comparative advantage elsewhere, such as in Asia.
Finally, Figure 21 presents the situation for the Asian Group. In 2005, the Asian Group was even
more reliant than the other two regional groups on imports sourced from outside the OIC, with
the exception of sectors where intra-regional trade was important, like palm oil and cereals, as
well as a small number of products where import sourcing from the Arab Group was significant,
and notable imports of cocoa products from the African Group. By 2016, this pattern had largely
accentuated, with greater reliance on imports from outside the OIC. However, import sourcing
from the African Group had grown in relative terms in cocoa and cotton, while import sourcing
from the Arab Group had generally weakened. Intra-regional trade remained significant, but
only in selected sectors, essentially reflecting the pattern a decade earlier. These relationships
reflect dynamics already referred to in the context of exports, such as enhanced regional
integration within Asia between OIC members and non-members, as well as the rise of
manufacturing and consequent demand for raw materials from other parts of the world.