Stolen Fruit The Tropical Commodities Disaster

This investigation by one of the leading authorities on commodity trading examines the failed commodity market in developing countries and current trading arrangements. Peter Robbins looks into the possible solutions being proffered--from ideas to exploit new niche markets and improve quality--to more radical notions like fair trade, and shows how they all fail to measure up to the scale of the disaster facing the Third World. Instead, he argues developing countries must take a leaf out of supply side economics, and themselves take the measures required to bring supply and demand into a better balance that will secure them far higher and more stable prices than today.

This investigation by one of the leading authorities on commodity trading examines the failed commodity market in developing countries and current trading arrangements. Peter Robbins looks into the possible solutions being proffered--from ideas to exploit new niche markets and improve quality--to more radical notions like fair trade, and shows how they all fail to measure up to the scale of the disaster facing the Third World. Instead, he argues developing countries must take a leaf out of supply side economics, and themselves take the measures required to bring supply and demand into a better balance that will secure them far higher and more stable prices than today.